In the latest edition of the Strathcarron Stories Podcast series we share the heart-breaking and inspirational first part of the story of Laura McGowan.
Laura’s first contact with Strathcarron came when her sister Donna died in the Hospice in 2018 aged just 41.
Laura, a mother of one, says: “Before we came to Strathcarron with my sister, my view was that Hospices and palliative care just meant the end. People get a picture in their head of what a Hospice is like…clinical…but it is like a home from home, comforting in a way.
“When I left the Hospice without my sister it one of the toughest things I’ve had to do in my life.
“One of Donna’s last wishes was to make sure we agreed to fundraise for the Hospice. She had the use of a cuddle bed which meant we were able to lie with her in her final days. We wanted to fundraise for another cuddle bed for other families to have the benefit and managed to raise £23000 paying for a bed and Pay for a Day in her memory.
“I managed to come back a few months later to hand in the fundraising money – it was difficult, but I have a different feeling about the Hospice now. It’s a happy place.”
Whilst still grieving over the death of her sister only months earlier, Laura received the devastating news that she had breast cancer aged only 28.
Harrowing treatment followed and then the family received a traumatic blow to find out that brother Kevin had also been diagnosed with cancer.
Then twelve months later Laura received the heart-breaking news that she has stage 4 incurable breast cancer.
Despite enduring even more treatment and associated side effects, Laura is amazingly a beacon of positivity and light and we hope you listen in to enjoy the first part of her story.
Laura is being supported by Strathcarron’s Live Your Life team, so she will be a regular Podcast guest as we travel alongside her on this journey. She is also a keen advocate of accessing palliative care as early as possible in your life limiting diagnosis.
Laura adds: “When I was first diagnosed I had myself dead months later. Seeing the strength of my brother and sister has helped me.
“I have realised I need to accept all the help I am offered. Things have been tough but my outlook now is to try and cling on to any positivity I can.”
Ailsa Herd, Strathcarron’s Communications Manager and IT Manager Ross Heron host the Strathcarron Stories Podcast series.
Ailsa says: “Laura’s story is heart-breaking and inspiring in equal measure.
“By sharing people stories, we help to raise awareness of Strathcarron’s services and impact, as well as to reduce the fear of Hospices and encourage more conversations about death and dying.
“The podcast sees us out and about, speaking to our own staff, as well as people living with life limiting conditions and the families they support.
“We’re nurses, doctors, social workers. We’re volunteers, cleaners, cooks & therapists. We’re fundraisers, administrators, accountants & physiotherapists. We will share their stories.
“We also aim to ask and answer your questions about the Hospice and palliative care.
“The conversations we’ll have with our teams will be around their roles, impact and how each person supports people with life limiting conditions. We will also speak to volunteers, local organisations, fundraisers, schools – a whole host of people connected to the Hospice too.”
If you have any questions re hospice or palliative care, Strathcarron Hospice, or would like to be on the Podcast, or have a story to tell, please get in touch via our email Podcast@StrathcarronHospice.
You can listen to the Podcast here:
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The lead photo is of Laura McGowan
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About Strathcarron Hospice
We support people across Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth living with a life limiting condition. We help to make every moment count for patients and their families, so that they can live well with their illness and make the most of the time they have, and when the time comes, to die well.
Strathcarron Hospice needs to raise around £102,000 a week to provide all their services, which are free to those who use them across our local communities.
As well as In- Patient and Hospice@Home care, our highly skilled multidisciplinary teams include Nursing teams, Patient and Family Support (social work), Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Pharmacist, Chaplains, Complementary Therapists, Consultants in Palliative Medicine and Specialty Doctors.
As a charity, Strathcarron Hospice is funded by the people we serve. They walk, run, cycle, jump, bake and go to many other amazing efforts to fundraise for their local Hospice. Strathcarron simply cannot continue delivering our valuable services free of charge, without the ongoing support of our communities.
With only one third of our hospice funded by the Government, we are incredibly grateful to our generous supporters who make up the significant shortfall.
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