How Dixie the dog brought comfort during Annie's last days

Summary

Victor’s mum Annie was cared for on Martlets’ inpatient unit during the last week of her life. Victor talks about the importance of hospice care, and how enabling Annie to have her beloved dog by her side made all the difference during her last days.

“Mum was so full of life, even at the age of 88. She was a nurse for 25 years and after she retired she volunteered at Martlets’ Blatchington Road shop for 14 years. In October of 2025, my wife Zena and I took Mum to the New Forest for a week in a holiday cottage. Mum enjoyed walking around in the woods with her little dog Dixie – that’s how fit she was at 88! So, it was a huge shock when she was suddenly diagnosed with stage-four cancer just a month later.

Mum had a slight pain in her stomach which the doctor initially thought was irritable bowel syndrome, as she used to get flare-ups of that. But within a few days her symptoms got a lot worse, and he sent her immediately for a CAT scan at the hospital. She was told that night that she had stage-four liver and colon cancer, and that she might not live to see Christmas. We were devastated – it was so unexpected because until recently Mum had appeared so full of energy.

Annie, 88, grey hair, in a pink anorak, and Victor in jeans and a blue jacket. In hte second photo of two, Dixie the dog, a small terrier, sits between them on a bench.

Annie, Victor and Dixie the dog – together in 2025

A move to Martlets

The hospital team suggested that we might want to move Mum to a nursing home for her last weeks as she would need 24-hour care. I knew Mum wouldn’t want that as she’d miss her dog Dixie who was a big comfort to her. So, I decided I’d stop working and care for her at home. But within two days she couldn’t walk and needed carers day and night. I was struggling to cope, and she had always said she wanted to be at Martlets at the end because she felt safe there. I knew hospices were facing difficult times and that a bed might not be available, but I had to at least try.

Thankfully, within eight or nine days of being at home, a bed on Martlets’ inpatient unit became available, and Mum was admitted to the ward. The relief of knowing Mum was in a safe place and being looked after by specialists was huge. From the moment we walked in, the nursing staff were so lovely to Mum. We had bought her a new dressing gown and nightie as it was still important to her to look nice. The nurses were commenting on how lovely Mum looked and made her feel so comfortable.

Dixie the dog – a companion til the end

Mum was worried that Dixie might not be allowed in her room at Martlets, and I thought that maybe we would only be able to bring Dixie to say hello through the window. But then we found out that small, well-behaved dogs are allowed on the hospice ward. Dixie could come in and actually get on the bed with Mum, so they could have a cuddle! That was such a big deal and brought Mum so much peace. The patient in the next room couldn’t have his dogs to visit as he said they were too boisterous, but he saw little Dixie walking around and asked if she could visit him too. So, Dixie went next door and sat with him for a little while, which he really appreciated. Dixie seemed to understand that her ‘mum’ was poorly – she was so well-behaved.

The team at Martlets did everything they could to make Mum’s last days as comfortable as possible. I can’t imagine how things would have gone if we’d try to keep Mum at home, and then she’d been rushed into A & E with complications. What if she’d passed away on a hospital corridor, or on a ward without Dixie there? Thanks to their care, I was still chatting away to Mum on Christmas Eve, though by Christmas Day it was clear that she was slowly drifting away. She died peacefully on Boxing Day evening. We were by her side, and she had her hand resting on Dixie’s head. We shed a lot of tears, but although everything had happened so fast, I’m glad Mum didn’t have to dwell on her illness for a long period. She was so incredibly brave and was more concerned about how it would affect me and my wife than her own wellbeing.

Annie with Dixie in her Martlets room

Mum left Martlets a gift in her Will – will you?

Mum always thought about other people before herself and was so involved in the local community. Because she’d volunteered in the Martlets’ shop for so many years, she knew all about hospice care and how important it is to fundraise. That’s why she left £10,000 to Martlets in her Will. More than 75% of Martlets’ income has to come from community fundraising rather than the NHS. So please consider how you might be able to offer support, whether it’s a fundraising challenge, or volunteering in a Martlets’ shop or leaving a gift in your Will like Mum did.

Remembering Mum

It’s just over two months since Mum died in December 2025 and I think about her every day. We need to clear out her house and when I go round there and look out of the kitchen window I still see her sat there. She loved sitting in the garden under her Jasmine arch. I wanted to share my story now, even though I feel emotional, because hospice funding is in crisis across the UK, and I want people to know what a difference hospice care can make. It made a huge difference to Mum and our family, and it’s crucial that Martlets can keep on offering specialist care to other local families like ours.

Dixie is living with us now, and it’s lovely to have her around as a reminder of Mum. Often people talk about finding white feathers after someone dies as a symbolic reminder of their presence. Mum was a great believer in that, and we’ve found one or two white feathers in our house. Just two days ago, I found a white feather on Dixie’s blanket, so I like to believe Mum’s still around, looking after us.”