As part of the Forget Me Not campaign, here’s Hayley to share the story of her Grandparents…
Birmingham St Mary’s cared for my late Grandparents, Mary and Dennis. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about them.
They were childhood sweethearts who were loving, caring and totally devoted to our family. I’ll never forget when Grandma was admitted to Birmingham St Mary’s. She had incurable lung cancer and I was heartbroken. To then find out that Grandad was also admitted shortly after her, with a heart condition, made life seem unbearable.
The nurses at Birmingham St Mary’s care deeply about what they do and it felt like nothing was ever too much to ask. On Grandma’s birthday, the nurses helped Grandad to spend precious time with her and this was the last that we would all spend together as a family. The care beyond boundaries my Grandparents received turned some of the darkest days into precious memories my family and I will treasure forever.
I would visit my grandparents every lunchtime from work and also over the weekends. Sadly, Grandad was only at Birmingham St Mary’s for a few days before he passed away and the nurses made sure that Grandma could be with her family and attend her husband’s funeral.
My grandparents loved the outdoors and particularly their garden and I spent as much time as possible with Grandma and my daughter in the beautiful Hospice garden. It gave me a chance to create new memories and reflect on happy times past. In some ways, it makes being a part of the Forget Me Not celebration even more poignant for me.
To join Hayley and dedicate a flower to a lost loved one, please visit our Forget Me Not section – thank you so much for your support.
