Rob, an active and friendly man, spent nine years in the Air Force before moving into the nuclear armed police. His career took him all over the country, earning him a reputation for his strength and kindness. Eventually, he came to Hinkley Point and settled in Bridgwater – where he met Alison ten years ago.
“He was very renowned for who he was,” Alison reflects. “Everyone knew him as a lovely, kind person.
“He was incredible with my daughters,” she smiles. “I have a video of him doing a charity press-up challenge with Emily on his back.” Rob’s life had always been about protecting others – whether working the G4 summit in Newquay, responding to the Manchester bombings, or letting Larry the cat into Number 10.
That’s what he was really good at. Protecting.”Alison
But in June 2023, everything changed. On the 2nd of June, Alison got a call from a neighbour, also a police officer. “She said, ‘Alison, you’ve got to come home.’” Rob had collapsed.
After being rushed to Musgrove Hospital and suffering seizures, the doctors put Rob in an induced coma to investigate further. “They couldn’t confirm it that evening, but they knew it was a brain tumour,” Alison explains.
Rob was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable cancer. “They couldn’t fix it,” Alison recalls. “He had surgery to remove the smaller tumour, but the larger one was too deep to be operated on.” Rob was given 14 months to live.
Faced with that reality, Alison and Rob decided to marry. “He proposed out on the canal in Taunton,” Alison says. “We planned the wedding around his treatment, hoping for a good day – and we got it.”
We were married at Crowcombe Court and they couldn't have been any more accommodating, luckily Rob was well enough on the day, and we had the best day ever.”Alison
As his illness progressed, Rob and Alison were referred to St Margaret’s Hospice, and met Mary, a community nurse. “At first, he’d say, ‘don’t let Mary come down,’” Alison chuckles. “He didn’t like needing help. But she was amazing. She was so lovely.”
Mary understood their hesitation and gently encouraged them to visit the hospice. “I remember thinking how lovely it was,” Alison remembers. “We looked around the Sunflower Centre and met lots of lovely people. The only hard thing was seeing the rooms.” At the time, the couple didn’t need In-Patient care, but they were reassured to know that it was there if they needed it.
Community care
As Alison cared for Rob at home, the hospice team remained in contact, offering advice, equipment, and emotional support. “He was quite wobbly at times,” Alison recalls. “They provided a frame to help him get around, though Rob, being the proud man he was, would say, ‘You can get rid of that.’”
Behind every visit, phone call and piece of equipment was something invisible – the generosity of people who had supported the hospice in the past. Rob and Alison were being cared for by a legacy of kindness.
The In-Patient Unit
In January, Rob’s medication began to affect his liver, causing hallucinations. He was admitted to the In-Patient Unit for complex symptom management.
That’s when the couple was offered something truly special – the hospice’s cuddle bed.
It was a special bed that could stretch out into a double so that I could sleep with him. It was so nice. We would cuddle, we would watch TV, we could do anything we wanted."Alison
The team understood Rob’s need for normality. “They didn’t mind if we went out during the day for lunch or just to get some fresh air, and we’d return in the evening for his medication,” Alison says. “There must be so many people who need them, but they look after you.”
Her experience with St Margaret’s completely reshaped her perspective on hospice care. “Before St Margaret’s, I found the idea of a hospice absolutely scary. We were in hospitals a lot, and as fabulous as they were, it was very different. They don’t have as much time.
“At St Margaret’s, I felt like we were just having a little stay somewhere. It’s like a little family. Everybody knew everybody and everybody was caring. They quickly get to know who you are and what your preferences are.”
After a week, Rob’s medication stabilised, and they returned home. The community teams continued to visit and offer their support.
They were there every step of the way. You don’t have to be in the actual hospice for them to be there."Alison
Making memories
The hospice gave Rob and Alison the time and space to make the most of the time they had left. Once Rob was a bit stronger, they took a trip to York – a place they’d always wanted to visit. “We had such a wonderful weekend there, and it meant so much to us both,” Alison says.
Rob also had a special presentation to commemorate his 20 years of service in the police. “We sat with the Chief Constable, and they made such a fuss of him.”
At home, Rob continued to visit the Sunflower Centre, taking part in therapies and activities. “At Easter, they painted pots and planted primroses,” Alison says. “It was so funny because he’d never done anything like that, but then he presented it to me. It’s still in the garden, and I always notice it because it’s such a bright yellow compared to the other primroses.”
Final days
Eventually, Rob’s symptoms worsened, and he was readmitted to the In-Patient Unit.
Alison was deeply touched by the warmth and exceptional care that Rob received. “He was falling frequently, so they placed a soft mattress around his bed and set up alarms to ensure he couldn’t wander and hurt himself,” she recalls. “They quickly discovered Rob’s love for ice cream, and before long, there was ice cream every day! But it wasn’t just Rob they cared for – they looked after me as well. It was such a special, loving environment.”
“The night before he died it was really hard,” Alison remembers. “There was a nurse who stayed with me all the time, holding my hand.”
Alison was able to lay with Rob on the cuddle bed during his final hours. “I laid on the bed with him, just talking to him. And then he just went. I sat with him for about half an hour, not really sure what to do. Then I rang the bell, and the nurse came in and said, ‘He’s gone.’”
“The nurses cried with me,” Alison recalls. “They were just so respectful. They knew what to do because they’ve dealt with it before. They were so humane. I remember the nurse said, ‘You stay with him as long as you want to. When you’re ready, you’ll know when to go.’
I lay with him for a couple of hours, and when I left him, I knew I’d never see him again.”Alison
Alison remains deeply grateful for the care they received. “No one should have to go through this, but many people do,” she says. “I want to raise funds so more people can experience the care we did – so that more people can have a cuddle bed, like us.”
In February, Alison swam 10k in just 14 days, raising over £4,500 for the hospice. “I started on Valentine’s Day, because Rob was so romantic.”
Now, she wants others to know that behind every moment of care at St Margaret’s is the kindness of someone who came before.
One in three of our patients are cared for thanks to gifts left in Wills.
Your gift could ensure couples like Alison and Rob receive the support they need, when they need it most.
