A Northumberland woman is sharing her story after bowel cancer claimed her mother's life within a month of diagnosis, as she and her sister launch a fundraising campaign to purchase a specialist 'cuddle bed' for the Palliative Care Unit at Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington.
A Rapid Decline
Gina White, 68, passed away on May 30 this year, just 25 days after being diagnosed with bowel cancer on May 5. She had been living with Parkinson's Disease for about a year and also had kidney disease, which masked the cancer symptoms. By the time the cancer was detected, it had spread beyond treatment.
Gina, from Cramlington, worked various jobs, most recently as a social housing resident liaison officer. Her daughters, Kirsty and Clair, both from Widdrington, are now raising money to support other families on the palliative care ward.
A Loving Mother
Kirsty paid tribute to her 'amazing' mum, describing her as having a 'wicked sense of humour' and a deep love for her family. 'We didn't find out she had cancer until May 5 this year. She had been unwell for some time previously with Parkinson's,' Kirsty said.
'We were told about the cancer and that there was no option for treatment, but we were not sure how long we would have with her. She was at Cramlington and we were hopeful we would be able to get her home, but she was transferred to Wansbeck and then she got sepsis for a second time.'
Difficult Final Days
Kirsty, 30, explained that her mother's condition worsened, and she couldn't recover. The family spent her final days in hospital, which was very challenging. 'Myself and Clair spent every day at her bedside. We just didn't leave, but they were only able to give us one bed in the room between us. They did the best with what they are given, but especially when our mum wasn't conscious all we wanted to do was to give her a cuddle,' she added.
Fundraising for a Cuddle Bed
In Gina's memory, the daughters want to buy a specialist bed for the ward, as the nearest one in an NHS hospital is reportedly in Scarborough. 'It would be amazing to think that it could be in her memory that we can get one in the North East. As an area, we are overlooked in so many ways and we deserve something like this - because unfortunately people don't always get to choose how you are going to go,' Kirsty said.
'We have just thought it'd be amazing if we could make this awful experience better for someone else. That would be amazing.'
