My name is Janet, now that I am in my 60th year, my thoughts often drift back to 2015. That was the year my mum, after a long and exhausting illness, decided she no longer wished to endure the harshness of hospital treatments and after being put on the palliative care pathway was moved to Isabel Hospice. This introduced us to a kind of care that I hadn’t imagined possible in such circumstances.
I remember vividly the day she was transferred to the Isabel Hospice in-patient unit. She was welcomed into a beautiful single room with a large window that opened onto a serene garden. The sight of flowers blooming just outside seemed to light up her face as she exclaimed, “Oh flowers, lovely!” That moment of simple joy was a stark contrast to the clinical and impersonal environment of the hospital we had become used to.
One of the first things the hospice staff did was offer her something to eat. Up to that point, Mum had lost all interest in food, but Isabel Hospice was different; they told they would get her her whatever she wanted and Mum asked for vanilla ice cream.
From that point on they made sure to get her whatever she wanted, whenever she felt like eating. It was this attentiveness that made us feel we were in a place where every one of Mum’s needs would be responded to.
Mum described the nurses at Isabel Hospice as “angels”. Even though Mum was bed-bound, they ensured she was involved in activities and services, wheeling her bed into communal areas so she could feel part of the hospice community. This gesture meant the world to us, making it feel less like a medical facility and more like a home. I could visit the in-patient unit at any time, and the staff always made me feel welcome and like part of a family.
Eventually, Mum slipped into a coma. A bereavement volunteer called me in and sat with me, she said “You don’t know what somebody can hear when they’re in coma, so talk to me about happy memories of your mum”. It was during this conversation that Mum passed away. It was peaceful, dignified, and I was comforted by knowing it was in line with what she had wanted—an end filled with care and love.
To this day, I feel part of the Isabel Hospice family, attending their memorial events each year. They provided us with invaluable support during one of our toughest times, and now I want to give back. That’s why, to mark my 60th year, I’ve decided to run the London Marathon for Isabel Hospice.
Inspired by my husband and encouraged by my daughter, who believes everyone should run a marathon once in their lifetime, as I lace up my running shoes and pin on my marathon bib, my mental mantra is clear: “I am blessed to be doing this.”
This marathon, my first and only, is more than just a run. Hospices like Isabel Hospice aren’t fully funded by the public sector; they rely heavily on donations from people like you and me. So, by running, and fundraising I not only honour my mum’s memory but also help ensure that others can receive the same compassionate care she did.
You can contribute to Janet’s fundraising page here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/janet-mcmillan-1690024252359
Register your interest in running a marathon for Isabel Hospice in 2025 by clicking here:
https://www.isabelhospice.org.uk/interest-for-2025-marathons/
