Sheila happy to be at home for Christmas, thanks to St Catherine's Hospice

Sheila Wilkinson is feeling much more in the festive spirit thanks to the St Catherine's Community Nurse Specialist team, after finding out last year that she had terminal cancer.
Sheila WilkinsonSheila Wilkinson
Sheila Wilkinson

Christmas can be an emotional time, especially for people who are facing a terminal illness.Last year, Sheila Wilkinson missed the festive fun as she was terribly ill in hospital. But it was only in spring did she finally get the news she had terminal cancer.

Despite her illness, Christmas-mad Sheila is determined to have the best time this year, thanks to the support of St Catherine’s community nurse service.Every December great-grandma Sheila looks forward to brightening her home with beautiful decorations for her and the family to enjoy.

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But last year, after weeks in hospital feeling unwell with an illness doctors couldn’t get to the bottom of, she was feeling so down that she threw most of her decorations in the bin.The 72-year-old explains: “I love Christmas, it’s my favourite time of the year.”“But I was so depressed and had been in hospital so long I just decided that was it and chucked them away.”

Sheila Wilkinson at homeSheila Wilkinson at home
Sheila Wilkinson at home

But now, 12 months on, and with the support of her family and the St Catherine’s Hospice community Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) team, Sheila is feeling much more positive – and her Plungington home is glittering and glowing with festive magic once more.

Sheila says: “I may not be able to do it all myself anymore, but I can still direct proceedings. “My family has been brilliant, helping me to get everything ready. “I’ve taken my time and persevered – I’m really pleased with how it all looks, it makes me feel good seeing everything in its place.”It was in April this year that Sheila, who also lives with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was finally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given the news it was incurable. Soon after she began receiving support at home from the St Catherine’s CNS team – a group of experienced nurses who work in the communities across Chorley, Preston and South Ribble delivering specialised symptom management and psychological support in the places people call home.

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“Suzanne works with my doctors and the district nurses to make sure everything is in place – I wouldn’t know where to start, so it’s great to have her help.”

Sheila Wilkinson by the Christmas treeSheila Wilkinson by the Christmas tree
Sheila Wilkinson by the Christmas tree
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Together with support from her family – which includes her three children, six grand-children and three great-grandchildren – it means Sheila is in a much happier place compared to last Christmas.

She is looking forward to welcoming relatives round to her beautifully decorated home over the festive season, and to celebrating Christmas Day with them at her daughter’s house.Sheila adds: “I am feeling so much more positive than this time last year.“That means such a lot to me because Christmas is so important to me and my family. When the children were little I really went to town – there were decorations everywhere, and even a little train running around the house.“My own mum and dad loved Christmas – they couldn’t wait to get the tree up and the presents around it. I think that’s passed down to me.”

Sheila – who vowed to ‘stay positive and take life a day at a time’ following her diagnosis – said she was grateful to be at home in familiar surroundings for the festivities, and thankful for the support she is receiving to help make that possible.She says: “Christmas for me starts on the first of December and I love being at home seeing all my decorations up – it makes me smile when I come down in the morning.“But above all Christmas is about family, everyone coming together, and I’m so happy to be here to enjoy it with them.”