Powerful final messages shows why hospice care must live on

Through her TikTok channel as "Nicky New," Nicola, from Cannock, opened an honest and moving dialogue about hospice care, showing how it supports individuals and families in ways that go beyond medical needs.

Nicola died in October 2024 at the age of 45, but her powerful message about St Giles Hospice continues to resonate. 

She said: "Without St Giles, I definitely wouldn't have been comfortable at home. I wouldn't have had it any other way to have my last days here. Because it is like my home."

Kelly Davis, who was friends with Nicola since they were 14 years old and spent time with her in her final weeks at the hospice, said: "I can't thank St Giles enough for everything they did making Nicky's final journey of her life so calm, at ease, so relaxed and feeling safe. They all did an amazing job in taking care of her needs and also mine. I can't thank you all enough and I will be forever grateful for that."

Her story emerges as St Giles Hospice joins a groundbreaking collaboration between 143 hospices across England, Scotland, and Wales, brought together by Hospice UK for the National Hospice Legacy Campaign.

"They have got me to here now, where I'm at peace," Nicola explained. "They are ever so good. They give you privacy. They are there when you need it with your family."

Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in spring 2024, Nicola became passionate about raising awareness of hospice care and its impact. What touched Nicola most was learning how hospices rely on charitable support.

She said: "You would be surprised to learn what funding they get. It's hardly anything. So it's definitely run by all fundraising and people don't realise this. This is the main priority at the moment - fundraising for these places because think about the people who haven't got families. They need peace and comfort. And that's all you want in your last days."

Friend Emma Roche added: "St Giles were absolutely amazing with Nicky, they all went above and beyond and I can't express how grateful we all are. Nicky is missed daily by all that knew her and it was awful what she went through but St Giles made the pain and heartache of her final journey a little bit easier knowing how cared and supported she was. Their love and care was unconditional and she was treated like a member of the St Giles family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, their commitment to the end of life care of my amazing friend will never be forgotten. I miss Nicky everyday."

Elinor Eustance, CEO of St Giles Hospice, said: "Nicola's powerful message resonates deeply with all of us at St Giles Hospice. Her courage in sharing her story, and her passionate belief in the importance of hospice care, will help ensure others can receive the same comfort and support she experienced. One in six of our patients are cared for through gifts in Wills, making these donations truly precious in helping us continue providing vital care to our community. Nicola's legacy will live on through the impact her words continue to have in highlighting the importance of securing hospice care for future generations."

St Giles Hospice spends close to £10 million a year providing specialist care, with just 18 per cent of this funded by the Government. The remainder comes from the incredible generosity of the local community, including through gifts in Wills.

In her final messages, Nicola reflected on legacy and urged others to leave one for St Giles to further help them.

She said: "I've never thought about a legacy really, but I want to leave one to help St Giles…My family are going to carry it on and doing things. If people can keep supporting them to do it. That could keep carers and the nurses you know everything. Every little helps. It helps to make a huge difference."

To support those considering leaving a gift in their Will, St Giles Hospice has partnered with will-writing experts, Octopus Legacy, to offer a free will-writing service. This helps ensure peace of mind while making it easy to support hospice care for future generations.

The national Legacy Campaign is designed to unite hospices across the country to help ensure hospice care lives on - for all, for now, forever.

To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will to St Giles Hospice, visit stgileshospice.com/support-us/donate/gifts-in-wills.