He had opened Poetic Licence distillery the year before, which along with our brewery Sonnet 43, was growing at a rapid rate.  Mark had an amazing passion for success, but he could also see the end result of retirement and enjoying life.  “I’ve got a 5 year plan Nic…” is what he used to say.  2 years into the plan he was diagnosed, but that’s wasn’t stopping him, he still had his plan.  Countless treatments were tried, he even went to a clinic in Germany for treatment that wasn’t available in the UK, but unfortunately nothing seemed to work for any length of time.

In 2019 Mark seemed to be in and out of hospital most of the year, and on November 8th 2019 he was rushed into Sunderland Royal hospital in agony.  After a week in there St Benedict’s hospice was mentioned, and wasn’t received well.  Mark wouldn’t admit he was dying so why would he need a hospice?  I have to say, the word in itself is quite daunting, frightening, something you really don’t want to hear.  But until you’re really there, in need of their help, you don’t understand what a truly special place it really is.

After a lot of discussion Mark decided to “give it a go!” he said.  Mark was in a lot of pain at this point and this was why he needed the hospice, and the care they could offer.  One of the doctors told me that they know they can’t make the people in there any better, all they can do is make them comfortable – and that’s what they do with their pain management team.

Within 24 hours Marks pain was under control, but most of all he was comfortable.  He had a team of nurses there to help him with whatever he needed, and doctors there 24/7 to help manage the pain.  That in itself took away the massive weight of the situation, leaving us to spend quality time with Mark in his last few weeks.

Friends came and visited, we took Chinese in on a weekend, and the kids sat and watched TV with their dad.  We even had quite a few laughs, an odd thing to say I know as you’d never put ‘laugh’ and ‘hospice’ in a sentence together.

St Benedict’s is an incredible place, and the people that work there are truly special people who devote their lives to making sure the end of someone else’s life is the best it could possibly be.