When Richard John Naylor was diagnosed with terminal cancer, life changed dramatically for him and his family. Yet rather than focusing on his prognosis, Richard chose to make the most of the time he had left, creating memories, spending time with loved ones and embracing new opportunities.
One of those opportunities was the Living Well Centre at St Cuthbert’s Hospice.
The Living Well Centre supports people living with life-limiting conditions and their carers, offering personalised support, activities and therapies that help people maintain independence, manage symptoms and connect with others.
For Richard, it became much more than just a place to visit.
“He really looked forward to coming here,” his daughter, Debbie Naylor, said. “It was the highlight of his week.”
Discovering the Living Well Centre
Like many people, Richard wasn’t quite sure what to expect when the Hospice was first mentioned.
“His first reaction was, ‘But I don’t need to go to a Hospice’,” Debbie explained. “Once I explained that it was a day centre where you could do activities and meet people, he was excited about it.”
For Richard, it quickly became an important part of his routine. “Dad was always sociable and had loads of friends, but he wanted to meet people who were in the same boat as him and understood what it was like.”
“We weren’t sure if it would be the right thing for him because he could be quite a private man, but he absolutely loved it.”
Sporting Memories and new friendships
A keen sports fan, Richard became a regular at the Living Well Centre’s Sporting Memories group. “He absolutely loved sport and went to the Sporting Memories group every week. Being able to sit with other people, chat and reminisce about sport was right up his street.”
The sessions gave him the chance to share stories, make new friends and enjoy some friendly debate. “He used to come home and tell us all about it. He’d tell us how he’d put the world to rights.”
Richard also benefited from the hospice transport service, which helped him stay independent. “The free bus was brilliant. It picked him up and dropped him off, and he made friends through that too.”
For the family, the biggest change was seeing how much Richard enjoyed having somewhere of his own to go.
“It wasn’t just about the activities. It gave Dad somewhere of his own to go, people who understood what he was going through, and something to look forward to every week.”
“My mam has her own health issues, so it gave Dad a bit of freedom and gave Mam some respite too.”
Most of all, the Living Well Centre gave Richard companionship and understanding at a time when his life had changed dramatically.
Giving Something Back
“Fundraising is a massive thing for us because we’ve seen first-hand what the Hospice does for families like ours.”
Richard and his daughter had planned to take part in a sponsored head shave together to raise money for St Cuthbert’s Hospice. Sadly, he passed away before the event could take place.
“The head shave was originally meant to be me and Dad, but he passed away just before it happened. Some of the family stepped up and did it with me instead.”
“Dad would have loved it. He loved all that sort of thing.”
Together, the family raised around £3,500 for the Hospice. “We’re really proud of that. We need the Hospice and the Living Well Centre for people like Dad, and it needs to keep going.”
“The Living Well Centre has changed people’s lives, including Dad’s. That’s why it’s so important that it’s there for the people who need it.”
His daughter, Debbie, believes he would have a simple message for anyone considering attending: “He’d say, ‘Give it a go. You don’t know unless you try.’ There’s all sorts that go on here, so enquire and you’ll find something you’ll want to do.”
