A 79-year-old woman from Burnley, who is now living pain free after a three-week stay at Pendleside Hospice, has expressed her gratitude for the team who treated her.

Anne Tattersall was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer in September 2016 and had been receiving palliative and respite care at the hospice since November 2018.

Anne, who was an orthopaedic nurse at Burnley General until retiring aged 55, said she was admittedly reluctant to come into the hospice as she thought patients never came out again.

On the day she left the hospice accompanied by Keith, her husband of 60 years, the grandma-of-five was full of praise for the treatment she received from the team.

Anne said: “I honestly thought hospices were places where people go to die, and this scared me.

“But thanks to everyone from the doctors and nurses – and their dedicated care – to the wonderful volunteers, the catering staff, the family support team, the district nurses’ follow-on and to everyone connected with the hospice movement, I’m now able to walk out today, pain free and with all the loving support I could’ve ever asked for.

“I couldn’t buy the care I have received here. The food is like a 5-star hotel!”

Anne was referred to the hospice by her community nurse, who initially recommended Pendleside Hospice’s therapeutic day care course to help her manage her condition.

Alison Sutcliffe, Inpatient and Hospice at Home Manager, added: “As we watched Anne leave our care this time, she looked like a different person to the lady who joined us three weeks before. She’s even said herself that she feels completely different after a stay in our inpatients department.

“She’s a lovely person whose pain is now better controlled because of the care our amazing team has provided. She was a firm believer that people only come to stay at the hospice to die – we’re glad that we’ve changed her perceptions of the different levels of care we provide here.”