Chris Smith’s story

Chris Smith attended one of our Remembering with St Christopher's events in 2017

Chris Smith attended one of our Remembering with St Christopher’s events for the first time after his wife Charlotte died from breast cancer in April 2017, the day after her 37th birthday.

“My wife was bubbly, friendly, caring, and chatty. We found out just before Christmas 2016 that Charlotte’s cancer was terminal; she started coming to St Christopher’s in January as an outpatient and for counselling.”

“Following surgery in February, she stayed there for two and a half weeks. St Christopher’s made Charlotte herself again; all of the teams there came together to do that somehow.”

I still feel a piece of Charlotte at St Christopher’s, and so at Christmas this is a very fitting event to attend

“Last Christmas was going to be our first without Charlotte. It wasn’t an occasion we were looking forward to but the Remembrance Service gave our family an opportunity to remember Charlotte. It was a way of doing something just for her and letting her know we were all thinking of her. Larger events like this can give you strength as the warmth and the love you feel being part of the wider St Christopher’s family can be powerful – especially at Christmas, which can feel like a particularly lonely time.”

“The evening wasn’t sad but more of a celebration. The Christmas tree, the lighting of candles – there was a real sense of community.”

“I come to St Christopher’s to remember Charlotte; whether it is sitting in ‘her’ chair in the Pilgrim Room or attending events. I still feel a piece of Charlotte there, and so at Christmas this is a very fitting event to attend.”