Hospice and puppy power prove a lifeline for Diane

Diane Attwell has been supported by Katharine House Hospice since last year after being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

But the hospice had to launch an emergency appeal last year, revealing it needed to raise £1 million to remain open after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

The grandmother-of-five, from Slitting Mill near Rugeley, was on holiday in Naxos in September 2019 when she woke with a pain under her arm.

"I found a lump and knew I had a problem," the 64-year-old said.

"On returning from my holiday on September 15 I went to my doctors in Great Haywood. That Friday I was at Spire Hospital at little Aston Sutton Coldfield and was told I had stage 2 breast cancer."

Mrs Attwell's treatment started in November, with scans and a portal being fitted.

The retired Slimming World consultant said: "I felt like an iron door had closed behind me. My life as I knew it was gone. The hardest thing ever was going back to my room where my daughter was waiting for me. She asked how I was and I cried like a baby in her arms.

"Chemo was very hard. What I didn't know and I'm sure others don't just how it effects every part of you. I lost dear friends at this stage, who I thought I would have by my side. I don’t think they could hack it.

"The chemo was attacking my left hip joint which had a bit of arthritis in. By February I could hardly walk. The pain was unbearable. Chemo was stopped early as I had neuropathy, which I still have.

"The chemo nurses, surgeons, oncologists have all been spot-on, without them I couldn't have got through."

Mrs Attwell's operation was scheduled for March 23 – the start of the first lockdown. A total of 16 lymph nodes were removed, six as they were cancerous.

She added: "My radiotherapy started end of April, 15 sessions. I'd complained about the pain in my left arm to be told it was just fluid. While attending radiotherapy another patient told me I had lymphoedema.

"I was referred to my doctor who passed my details to the lymphoedema nurse Mel Cotterill at Katharine House.

"My first contact was a Zoom call. She was amazing. I sat with my husband and cried. Mel, I felt, came out of that screen and held me. She told me she would help me and I could email her any time and she would get back to me. Up until that moment I had not had any proper support.

Wonderful

"It felt she tucked me under her arm and I knew I would be OK. She listens to me and she lets me pour it all out as to how I feel. She then looks into my sad eyes with her kind eyes and puts things into perspective. She points me to the right person so I get the best support. She is my angel and I truly don't know what I'd do if I lost her.

"Mel put me forward for well being courses with senior staff nurse Melanie Mottram. What another wonderful lady. So caring and again reassuring. She calls and checks in on me she listens and again helps you look at things more positive. I cannot believe I have these two wonderful ladies in my life. "

The Stafford hospice cares for around 1,300 people with life-limiting conditions.

Mrs Attwell said the hospice is an "anchor to keep you steady".

"It's not until you need this level of support do you realise just how important Katharine House is," she added.

"It’s a lifeline to people who are suffering or dying. It’s not just there for the terminally ill. It’s there for people fighting their way back.

"It's there also for families who's loved ones don't recover. Without places like Katharine House these families would be so alone to deal with the traumas of losing a loved one.

"My husband is so grateful for the support we get. It's an anchor to keep you steady.

"Without financial support Katharine House cannot be there for people who truly need it the most.

"Katharine House has given me the belief I can get through this.

"I was very scared to use Katharine House at first, because I saw it as a place where life ends. I don't want mine to end. It sounds hard but that's how I thought, probably because I lost my daughter-in-law to cancer 12 years ago. Now it’s my lifeline.

"They are making me stronger and helping me improve my lymphoedema. Katharine House helps make me stronger-minded to deal with the traumas I have had to face. I can’t thank them enough."

And since lockdown Mrs Attwell has welcomed a puppy into her home, Mable, which she says has "brought life back into the home".

She said: "We bought her because she's like a therapy for us. We've always had dogs but we had decided we weren't having another and my daughter sent a link to a dog and said she thinks it would really help and within minutes we decided to have her.

"We collected her a week later. She's called Mable, she's 15 weeks old, she's making us get out and walk, she's really lifted us. She's a massive therapy and gives us something to focus on other than us and it's brought life back into the home."

• Find out more about Katherine Hospice and its fundraising appeal at khhospice.org.uk