Tree of Lights: Edwin's Story
Edwin’s story: How hospice care helped make every moment matter with his wife, Liz
Liz and Edwin first met in November 2012 at a Triumph Motorcycle launch in Wellingborough. Liz, a former catwalk model, wasn’t a biker, but she immediately caught Edwin’s attention.
“She flashed those eyes at me and that was it. I was caught! It felt like we’d known each other forever.”
Meeting later in life— Liz was 54 and Edwin 53— they quickly realised they wanted to spend their lives together. “We were both stubborn to the point of ridiculousness,” Edwin laughs, “but we just loved doing things together.”
In mid-2022, Liz began feeling increasingly unwell and endured months of hospital tests before being diagnosed in August 2023 with stage 3C ovarian cancer.
Edwin recalls, “Liz was so strong. She said it was almost a relief to receive the diagnosis as she’d been ill for so long. Knowing what was wrong helped her to mentally deal with it.”
Liz went through multiple rounds of gruelling chemotherapy and a major operation in February 2024. For a while, they hoped the worst was behind them, but by July the cancer had returned. In November, Liz made the difficult decision to stop treatment.
Initially, Liz was apprehensive about hospice care, fearing the ‘finality’ of it, so she called Cransley Hospice and asked to look around. Meeting the care team immediately put her at ease, and by the end of January 2025 she was admitted.
Edwin smiles: “Liz knew she’d made the right decision when she was admitted. Cransley is not a scary place to be. In fact, it’s actually a really nice place to be! It’s friendly and uplifting and she settled really quickly. She felt comfortable and she knew the team would help her through whatever came next.
“When you come in, you know they’ve read your notes and they know your background. They know you and that is so different to the care that Liz had received at the hospital.
“People at Cransley give their time to you, they’ll talk to you, create a bond with you. If you need a hug, they’ll give you a hug. It was lovely. Within days we felt we had friends here, and that’s special.”
Prior to Liz’s admission, the couple had been planning a wedding at St Peter’s Church in Aldwincle, but it was becoming apparent that Liz would not make it to the service. When they mentioned this to the hospice team, they were astonished by the response: “The decision was made—let’s do it here!” Edwin recalls. “Everyone rallied round, organising flowers, photographers, everything we needed.”
The morning before, Liz’s condition had deteriorated and the couple decided to officially wed that day, to ensure Liz was capable of signing the legal documents.
“We got married, here in Liz’s room at Cransley Hospice at 2pm on the 5th February. There were half a dozen of us in the room and it was so special.”
The commitment gave Liz such an emotional and physical boost that the next day, the couple were still able to have a wedding celebration, with their closest family and friends attending – as well as patients and staff from the hospice that Liz had befriended with her infectious charm! They enjoyed music, wedding cake and laughter.
Edwin chokes up as he recalls, “The staff pulled out the stops and did that for us. It was amazing. Absolutely amazing. It was fun, and a bit barking too! It was so ‘Me and Liz’.
“After we were married, I stayed with her all the time. On the Sunday, I even went to get Frosty, our 17 year old cat and bring her in to see Liz. She came in, she was quiet and she sat with Liz on the bed, it was wonderful to see. Liz was so pleased to see her.
“Liz’s daughter Sandy was also able to stay with her in her last couple of days. It was so nice that we were all able to be together. Cransley made that happen.”
Liz died in Cransley Hospice on the 10th February 2025.
“The hospice really did make every last moment we had together special.”
Edwin is eternally grateful for the experience they had and the care that was received. He asks everyone in our community:
“Please give what you can to help other people have the journey that myself and Liz had at Cransley.
“It’s obviously not under joyous circumstances that you come into a hospice, but to be here was actually amazing. And it’s thanks to Cransley Hospice that Liz’s last days were so fun and special.”
Support another family like Edwin’s this Christmas by leaving a dedication on our Tree of Lights.
We also hope that you will join us at our annual Tree of Lights Service on Sunday 7th December 2025.