Visits from family, including the pet dog, helped lift the spirits of a dying man in his final days, his daughter has revealed.

Julie Hounslow is highlighting the end-of-life care her father Brian received at Carlisle’s Eden Valley Hospice to raise awareness of the hospice’s gifts in wills funding campaign.

Brian, who had suffered from leukaemia on and off for five years, died in the hospice in September 2015 aged 65.

Julie said: “I’d heard it was a lovely place but my expectations totally changed because it was so homely.

“They were absolutely amazing, from the doctors, to the nurses, to the healthcare. I couldn’t have imagined caring for dad as he approached the end of his life without the hospice.”

Brian, she added, was particularly pleased that his dog was allowed to stay for his final few days, along with family and friends.

“It gives you a safe space to feel at home and be there for your loved ones,” Julie said. 

“It was a big enough room so all the family and all his friends got to come and see him. It gave him a nicer death. And it gave us the chance to give him that as well.” 

Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, are among 143 organisations across Scotland, England and Wales taking part in the Hospice UK National Legacy campaign.

Julie now hopes people will consider supporting the hospice by leaving a gift in their Will to ensure its specialist care can continue now and in the future.

Legacy giving is a key part of the funding Eden Valley receives and helps to ensure its essential services can continue.

This Is Hospice Care, an initiative facilitated by the Hospice UK coalition of 143 hospices, aims to raise awareness about the vital role hospices play and to shift public perceptions of the care they provide.

Julie said: “Think about where you would want your loved ones to be at the end of their life. In a hospital room that’s clinical or in a homely place where you feel the warmth of the people around you?”

For details of how you can support the hospice through your Will, please visit: 

How to make a will

When thinking about writing your will, ensure you give yourself time to think about your wishes.

Think about your family and friends and who you wish to benefit, as well as what kind of gift you wish to leave.

We would recommend that you visit your solicitor. You can get started today through Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw’s annual Make a Will Month, which gives you the opportunity to create or update your Will with the help of local solicitors, in exchange for a donation to the hospice.

Or you can find a local solicitor at www.lawsociety.org.uk  (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or www.lawscot.org.uk (Scotland).

If you would like to leave a gift to Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, please make sure that your solicitor uses the charity’s full name, address and charity number in your Will.

Its details are:

Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, Durdar Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA2 4SD

Registered Charity Number 1008796

Making a Will is a private affair, but if you wish to inform Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw of your intentions they can thank you and keep you updated on how your intended gift can help support the hospice in the future.