A WIDOW has raised money for East Lancashire Macmillan nurses as a thank you to the woman who helped her cope with her husband's death.

Margaret Bickerstaffe, 62, of Wensley Road, Blackburn, who lost her husband in July, said she would never have managed without Macmillan nurse Alison James.

At the funeral Margaret asked for donations and has now presented Alison with a £465 cheque for the Macmillan Nurses Fund.

Margaret's husband, John, was first diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2000. It was treated but returned in January this year and the couple were told doctors could not operate as it was behind his heart.

John was 61 when he died.

Margaret said: "Words will never be enough to thank Alison and the others for the work they do. There is help out there and more people need to use it.

"After John's operation in 2000 my life became increasingly difficult.

"Alison's support was absolutely brilliant and I want to give back so more people can benefit. She enabled us to live life to the full again and we were able to make the most of the time left to us.

"There is a fear of the unknown when you are told someone close to you is going to die and Alison understood what no-one else could. We had a very happy marriage and John's will kept him going but I needed Alison to keep me going."

Alison, 45, of Darwen, along with thousands of other Macmillan nurses across the country believe it is important not to be seen as nurses who appear only when patients do not have long to live, but to offer support and optimism on diagnosis.

Macmillan nurses provide palliative care including advice and counselling, with frequent home visits for cancer patients and their families.

Alison has been a Macmillan nurse for nearly five years. She is employed by Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT and is based at East Lancashire Hospice, Park Lee Road, Blackburn.

One of five covering the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley area, she added: "We are a team, I am not unique and couldn't do my job without support from other healthworkers and district nurses.

"But it is very rewarding and lovely to hear our work is so well appreciated.

"Cancer is the hardest thing to cope with in life and we can offer as much or as little as people need, all they need do is ask."