Anne's first experience of Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland was not long after it first opened. In 1999 Anne was working as a carer and one of her clients came to the Day Care service at Bishop Auckland.
"It was at that time I developed cancer myself. I knew my client had come to the Hospice and had really enjoyed her time here so I thought I'd give it a try. I found it very helpful as I went through my treatment and before the end of the year I was discharged."
"My cancer returned Christmas 2010. During the early part of 2011 I asked if I could come back to Butterwick as I felt I really needed that support again. When I came back I was surprised to find the same people still here. The same nurses, some volunteers were the same!"
"I find the group very supportive. You can talk openly with other people who are going through the same things so you feel less isolated. You know you are not going through this on your own."
"Everyone is kind and welcoming and you soon feel at home. We all sit together for lunch and in the afternoon we sit together in the craft room. You don't have to make anything if you don't feel like it. It's all about the chatter and supporting each other."
"You get treat like royalty for a day every week because you are so pampered with complementary therapies and individual care. It's also nice for your family to know you are coming to somewhere where you are getting so much support."
