Patient & Carers Stories
We would like to thank everyone who has shared their experiences at Alice House Hospice, read some of the incredible stories below.
Jeremy, Hannah and Martha’s Story
“Jeremy or ‘Jez’ was the life and soul of the party; full of fun and laughter. He loved sport and was the Captain of the Hartlepool Caledonians Hockey Club. He ran for pleasure and at the age of thirty four in October 2010, just after doing his fifth Great North Run, he was diagnosed with […]
Stuart’s Legacy
“I’m a country lad at heart, we lived in Castleton in the Yorkshire Moors where Dad, originally from Thornaby, was a local policeman. We lived there until I was three years-old, when Dad re-located with work, back to his roots in the North East. Fast forward to when I started working – I’ve had lots […]
Acupuncture for Pain
“For the past 16 months I have been ill with lower back pain which had been stopping me from doing lots of things I was used to. The acupuncture has definitely helped me get back to doing things like walking, knitting and other everyday tasks without any pain and Jane Eaglesham has been so patient […]
My Pain Journey with Reiki Therapy
Although I have pain in my spine, I was also getting severe pain in my right flank and between my ribs and I was finding it debilitating. I was unable to walk upright, constantly in pain and worrying for the future, “Is this how it’s going to be?” The pain was beginning to affect me, […]
A Dip in the Cold for Mam
“From a young age it was just me, my mam and my two brothers. As a single parent, my mam always made sure we had everything we wanted and needed. Every birthday and Christmas, no matter how old we were getting, there would still be a big pile of presents waiting for us to open. […]
Remembering Mam and Dad
“My parents met in the mid 50’s while my father was on leave from serving with the Royal Marines. He had been abroad for sometime in Malta, Cyprus, Egypt and other countries after having joined up at the young age of 17. They met in a club called Semines, Dad was just 20 and Mam […]
“I was exhausted, on my knees and at the end of my tether!”
Peter is an intelligent man, it was one of the things that attracted me to him. He worked as a self-employed Chartered Electrical Engineer, a proud member of the I.E.T and provided our family with a wonderful life. We had amazing family holidays, mostly in the UK and an active life together. Peter also loved […]
Marie and the Holistic Wellbeing Centre
Marie said, “My fiance, Steven, was the only person who was able to leave the house to buy essential items whilst I worked from home and home-schooled my son, Lincoln, who was 8 at the time. The only place I was able to go during the lockdown was my back garden so we thought we […]
Steven’s Legacy
Steven’s funeral took place at Stranton Grange Crematorium on 16 June, after which friends and relatives gathered in The Fens pub, not far from where he lived with his family. On the day, a collection was held for Alice House, raising an incredible £510. Ben said “I am extremely excited for the trek to Everest […]
I’ve been cared for by willing staff with joyous hearts!
John is a wonderfully chatty, (almost) octogenarian who recently spent some time in Alice House Hospice whilst dealing with a diagnosis of prostate and bone cancer. John has had a full and exciting life, starting out as the only boy of a family from Dawlish, Devon he went on to travel the world with his […]
The difference one call made
Dear Jo, Please accept my appreciation and thanks for your help. I look back on our phone call last November as a significant event. It marked the beginning of my acceptance of the loss of my dear wife, sister and granddaughter, all passing away within a year. The hurt remains and is sometimes overwhelming but […]
“My heart is smiling. I feel like I’m in a hotel!”
“It was definitely not the news we were expecting as Jan wasn’t even 60. She had her own side room on an orthopaedic ward in North Tees Hospital whilst staff decided on her pathway of care and also managed her pain. Although Jan was disappointed to miss Christmas Day with her family, she was hopeful […]
Counselling Support
“I attended children’s bereavement counselling with Jo at Alice House after the death of my dad. It really helped me process everything that was happening. Jo has helped me so much. She was very honest and welcoming right from the start and made me feel very comfortable. I learnt so many coping methods that I […]
Ken’s Story
Married to Carole, they have two children, Martin and Sarah and four grandchildren, Lewis Max, Charlotte and Sophie. Before his illness, Ken still enjoyed walking in the denes only now he would be accompanied by his friends and faithful Patterdale Terrier, Meg. He used the time on his walks to select hazel stems for his […]
Remembering Nicola
“My mam found out in May last year that she had terminal cancer. along with the cancer, my mam suffered from many different infections at the time and she was told that she wouldn’t see the week through. On 2nd January, surrounded by her boys and family, my mam took her last breath at Alice […]
Richard’s Story
Following an appointment with the Palliative Care Team, Richard was referred to the Hospice towards the end of July for assistance in managing his medications and symptoms. I work for the NHS and was immediately impressed by the way the Hospice staff were interested in what Richard’s needs were, both from a medical aspect to […]
My Stay at Alice House Hospice, David Hunter
I was referred to James Cook where I was finally listened to and eventually diagnosed with head and neck cancer. I felt like I’d been dealt a ‘triple whammy’; I’d recently had my contract terminated by my previous employer in 2019, then got my diagnosis of head and neck cancer and finally we went into […]
Leanne Barker shares Mam’s story of Day Hospice
The Palliative Care Nurse referred her to the Day Hospice by Mam was very reluctant to go. She was struggling physically and mentally. We went for a visit and her first words were ‘you only come here to die.’ With the support of medical and no-medical staff mam was placed on medication that allowed her […]
June tells us about the Long Term Care Team
As a District Nurse at the time I understood the community need for hospice care and agreed with the idea, I had even worked with two of Alice’s daughters previously, Paddy and Margaret. Over the years I nursed both my eldest sister and my mum at my home, continued to work as a District Nurse […]
My COVID-19 Recovery, John Davison, 79
Unfortunately, our bungalow wasn’t adapted well enough for Joan’s needs. She previously had a stroke and with the COVID-19 she had difficulty moving around. She came back into North Tees and because I was critical by this point they put her in a side room next to me so that we would spend what we […]
Derek, “food was my life”
“It’s been a year since I was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus, which for a chef has been pretty devastating. My cancer affects the long narrow tube which runs from your throat to your stomach so eating is a real problem for me. I live in Hartlepool with my wife but I used to […]
Brian, “I finally feel like i am living.”
“I came to the hospice last year for help managing my symptoms. I have a facial tumour brought on by skin cancer which causes me to suffer with headaches and effects my eyesight. I first noticed the mole on my nose but I never went to the doctors about it until it was too late. […]
If you would like more information about any of the services offered at Alice House Hospice please
visit the Patients & Carers section of our website
