Saint Michael’s Hospice is supporting a national campaign led by Hospice Care UK this week, encouraging people to consider leaving a gift in their Will to help ensure compassionate end-of-life care is there for future generations.
The campaign highlights the extraordinary impact legacy gifts have on hospice services – and for brothers Joe and Jacob Whyms, that impact is deeply personal.
When they talk about their mum Nicki, Joe and Jacob smile before they speak.
“She was 10 out of 10 as a mum. We couldn’t have asked for better,” they say.
Nicki was known for her warmth, humour and quiet strength – someone who instinctively cared for others and always put her sons first. Even during her illness, that never changed.
Joe said:
Right at the end, she wasn’t thinking about herself.
She was asking people to look after us.
That instinct – to care, protect and love – defined Nicki’s life and in her final weeks, it was the same love that surrounded her, made possible by Saint Michael’s Hospice and the generosity of people she would never meet, who chose to leave a gift in their Will.
Nicki was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2024. She approached her treatment with the same quiet courage she brought to everything else, undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy simultaneously before returning home for a short time.
Even then, she didn’t lose her sense of humour. After major brain surgery, Joe remembers asking how she was feeling.
“Bossed it, mate,” she replied.
As her condition progressed, Nicki was admitted to Saint Michael’s Hospice for specialist end-of-life care – a moment her sons say brought immediate relief.
Joe said:
As soon as we arrived, we breathed a sigh of relief.
We could go back to being her sons instead of her carers, knowing she was in safe hands.
For Joe and Jacob, the importance of this support was felt immediately.
Joe said:
After just one day, we completely trusted them.
Every nurse and care assistant made us feel so at home.
They took all the stress and grief off us, so we could just sit with Mum, watch a film, or have a chat.
Nicki’s room at Saint Michael’s Hospice became a place of calm connection. Her beloved dog Otis visited daily and quickly became part of hospice life, greeting visitors and bringing smiles to patients and families alike.
Hospice staff also created special moments for Nicki and her loved ones, including an afternoon where friends gathered with prosecco on the balcony overlooking the viaduct – a memory her sons still treasure.
Joe said:
They did an incredible job of making Mum comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation.
People think hospices are dark places, but there can still be light moments.
