Aston Villa fan Craig and family get the care they need from Birmingham Hospice’s Community Team.

For Aston Villa super-fan Craig Liggitt and his devoted parents, Chris and Bill, Birmingham Hospice’s dedicated Hospice at Home team is a vital lifeline which provides essential support.

Craig, 44, lives at his Northfield home with his mother and father and needs specialist care after being diagnosed with three tumours on his brain and another on his spine in 2021.

He had previously defied expectations aged 21 when he recovered from an operation to remove a brain tumour, despite being given two years to live.

Craig returned to work for Birmingham What’s On magazine and interviewed stars such as Shania Twain and the Spice Girls.

A season ticket holder for Villa, his favourite players are Tony Daley and Paul McGrath. He loved watching games alongside Birmingham City supporting dad, Bill.

Craig also enjoys having fun with Chris, who said: “Craig’s not just my son, he’s, my mate. We used to go shopping together and to the cinema.

“The hospital keeps saying he shouldn’t be here but he’s a fighter.”

But in 2021, doctors discovered a tumour had grown on his spine after he had complained of pain in his back and legs.

Three tumours then developed on his brain, which left him unable to walk or sit up, suffering from short-term memory problems and a bleed on his brain.

His illness also made him prone to falling out of bed, which was a huge concern for his parents.

Due to his condition, Craig needs specialist care, but Chris and Bill struggled to find adequately trained carers, who often made him feel irritable, jumpy and nervous.

His retired parents did their best to look after Craig without help before being referred to our Hospice at Home team by their doctor.

Following a meeting to understand the type of care their son needed, Hospice at Home’s experienced team of carers now visit each morning to wash, dress and help him.

Importantly, they provided an adjustable bed and padded floor mats to prevent him from hurting himself if he rolls out of bed.

“The team at Birmingham Hospice listened to what we had to say and saw what he needed,” said Chris.

“The bed is a godsend, and it has stopped him falling out of bed. It’s fantastic.”

Hospice at Home goes the extra mile to make sure the patient and their families feel valued. Staff can often be found singing rap and R&B with Craig, who is a huge fan of rapper Tupac.

Chris said: “Having Hospice at Home coming in puts your mind at rest; we know that he’s comfortable and happy. He’s singing and laughing, and they dance with him, which takes a lot of pressure off us.

“Unless you have been through the experience which we’ve been through with carers, the difference with Birmingham Hospice doesn’t compare. They’re fantastic.”

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Birmingham Hospice provides end-of-life care for people living with terminal illness, to make a donation to fund their vital work visit the website.

Notes for editors:

Birmingham Hospice is the new name for The Hospice Charity Partnership, formed of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice and John Taylor Hospice.
In 2021, the two hospices merged to form The Hospice Charity Partnership providing expert palliative and end of life care for people and their families living with life-limiting illnesses. Offering personalised support at home, in local communities or at the hospices, we help people across Birmingham to live well with their illness, right up to the very end of life.
The charity must be referred to as Birmingham Hospice only.
The hospice offers a range of services in people’s homes, in the community and at both its Selly Park and Erdington sites.
The hospice support families and carers too, throughout a person’s illness and, after their loved one has died, with bereavement support for as long as necessary.
Living Well Centre services are also provided, which help people to live well with their illness.
Birmingham Hospice is committed to training health and social care professionals, GPs, nurses and medical students in palliative care and end of life, via seminars, courses and placements.
All of our services are free of charge to everyone that uses them, including patients, family members, carers and loved ones.
It cost more than £17 million to run Birmingham Hospice last year. This year, we estimate it will cost £20 million to fund its vital care.
Birmingham Hospice receives 48% of its funding from the NHS, the remaining 42% has to be raised through voluntary donations.

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