A HOSPICE has been praised for the “miraculous” impact it had on a terminal cancer patient.

Damian, from Wickford, has bravely spoken out about his partner Karen’s fight with cancer in a bid to raise support for St Luke’s Hospice in Basildon.

Karen was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at the age of 35, and the couple were given the devastating news that the cancer had progressed to stage four just as the Covid pandemic began.

After a rapid decline in her health in December 2022, Karen was admitted to the in-patient unit at St Luke’s Hospice.

And Damian fondly recalled an extraordinary event at the hospice.

Miraculously, Karen, who had been sleeping up to 20 hours a day, woke up one day, got out of bed, got dressed, and asked for a date.

Damian recalled: “What happened next was so out of the ordinary, I can only describe it as a miracle.

“She grabbed the walker and headed out of her room to see the doctors and nurses. We were all lost for words. Karen still had more living to do.

“This gave us a few more precious weeks together to enjoy family visits and dates.”

Despite the circumstances, Damian stressed that the constant in their lives was the support from St Luke’s Hospice.

He added: “We always got help quickly and to have that support throughout was incredibly reassuring.”

Prior to being admitted to the hospice, Karen’s health took a serious turn in October 2022 when she had complications from steroid treatments.

Attempts to use a new, costly drug were supported by friends and family, who raised more than £75,000 for the trial.

When all NHS treatment options were exhausted, the hospice stepped in to modify the couple’s home and provide physiotherapy for Karen.

After leaving the hospice, Karen sadly passed away peacefully at home on April 2, 2023.

In accordance with their decision, the remaining money from the trial was donated to charity, a large portion of which was given to St Luke’s Hospice.

To donate or learn more about ways to support St Luke’s Hospice, visit their website, or contact their fundraising team at 01268 524973.