“We always know they are there.”
Eppie
Thank God,” says Mark Blackwell when asked what he thought after a referral to St Christopher’s in January 2024, 13 years after he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
And these words don’t come lightly from Mark, a retired psychiatrist, a man with a strong Christian faith and great difficulty in speaking as a symptom of his condition.
Mark’s wife of 46 years, Eppie, admits she wasn’t so thrilled when doctors at St George’s Hospital made the referral.
“For my part, I wasn’t expecting it. I was shocked because I didn’t think Mark was dying and it made me feel stressed when they mentioned end of life care.”
After the first visit from a St Christopher’s doctor and nurse, Eppie says she began to feel a bit calmer. A year on, after engagement with doctors, nurses, a dietician, speech therapist and social worker and she now can’t praise the hospice enough.
“They have given me a sense of serenity so I don’t stress. They are always accessible and if I’m worried about something I know I can call and if I can’t get through immediately they will call me back quickly.”
Eppie has received advice about what Mark should be eating and drinking and the benefits they should be receiving, as well as regular checks on Mark’s condition.
Of special importance to Eppie, St Christopher’s has recognised the importance of Eppie’s role as carer and arranged eight hours of respite care.
“It is an absolute lifesaver for me. On one day I spend four hours attending church and seeing my friends there and on the other I can go to my own appointments and a painting class. Without the respire I wouldn’t be able to go out at all.”
In addition to the respite, Eppie was very pleasantly surprised when she got a call from the hospice inviting her to a course of three pampering sessions.
“I had hand, foot and back massages. They were great, made me feel physically better and like I was being taken care of, not forgotten and not just another number in their casebook.”
Those pampering sessions aside, Mark and Eppie’s only other visits to the hospice have been for a six-week neurological programme where they met as a group with seven other couples.
“It was nice to feel like you can be part of a group to support each other and realise you’re not the only ones.”
Eppie now keeps in touch with the group via a WhatsApp group they created, enjoys being connected to people in a similar situation and is planning to organise a meet-up back at the hospice in the coming months.
“It was nice to feel like you can be part of a group to support each other and realise you’re not the only ones.”
The last decade or so has been very challenging for the Croydon couple who have seven children and 10 grandchildren, with another two on the way. Following surgery in 2016, Mark suffered a severe stroke which affected his speech and mobility. Drumming to funk music, something he loved to do, is now just a memory for Mark.
Eppie and Mark now face the future confident that their care and support is in good hands.
“The overall experience has been so positive,” says Eppie. “We feel very supported and reassured that they will take care of us in future. St Christopher’s has been so calming for me. I take care of Mark and know I don’t have to panic because they are so approachable, knowledgeable and professional.”
Eppie also hopes to pass on that reassurance to others faced with the prospect of a referral to the hospice.
“I would urge them to be a part of it because they are so positive, explain everything to you and let you make the right decision for you. They don’t take over your lives but we always know they are there and for that I would like to express our gratitude to all the people that work there and all the volunteers.”
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