A WALTHAM Abbey woman has spoken to The Guardian about how St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood helped her and her family cope with the deaths of two close relatives in the space of a month, as the hospice gears up for its fundraising Starlight Walk.

Heidi Rowley, 45, of Holyfield, was devastated when her father, Bill Gutteridge, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in April last year.

He was admitted to the inpatient unit at St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood this April and died a few days later, shortly before his 71st birthday.

“This was the worst news our family could have ever expected and a complete bolt out of the blue,” she said.

“He was a really fit and active man and he never had a sick day in his life. His hobbies had always been shooting and he had hunting dogs and loved his fishing.

“It's so unfair, because he didn't have a nasty bone in his body and you feel so cheated.”

Her father lived next door to Mrs Rowley with his wife Diana and she and her husband Keith cared for him at home for a few weeks before he went into the hospice.

“It was hard for us physically and emotionally and when we got to the hospice, all that was taken away from us," she said. “We could dedicate the last two weeks to spending as much time as possible with Dad.”

About 20 friends and family members came to visit Mr Gutteridge and his close family slept on sofa beds at the hospice for two nights.

“We put on the CD that Mum and Dad used to listen to in the car and the nurses told us to prepare ourselves because it wasn't going to be long.

“As he was going, the song playing was Good Night Sweetheart and as he took his last breath, the cherry blossom was blown from the tree outside.

“Obviously, you don't want your Dad to die, but we could not have asked for a more peaceful scenario.”

The day after his death was granddaughter Rebecca Rowley's 14th birthday and the family celebrated as best they could.

Just four weeks after Mr Gutteridge died, Keith Rowley's uncle, Cyril Cutts, was admitted to the hospice, as he was also suffering from terminal cancer.

Mrs Rowley said: “I spoke to Keith's aunty and said she should consider taking him to St Clare's.

“It was hard going back there, because of the memories, but Cyril was in a lot of pain and they did the best they could for him.”

She said that her experience had changed the way she looked at fundraising for hospices.

“I thought – you go to a hospice to die and we should be helping the living,” she added. “It wasn't until we went to St Clare's and I was totally gobsmacked by the way they worked that I realised how worthwhile it is.”

The five-mile Starlight Walk takes place on September 18, starting at 8pm from Loughton Leisure Centre.

Anyone over the age of 14 can register now for the Starlight Walk by visiting the hospice’s website, www.stclare-hospice.co.uk or calling 01279 773 750.