Bridie Geoghegan of Skeffington Road, Preston, has had part of her lung removed after suffering from cancer.

For Bridie, St Catherine's has been a life-saver, it gave her the chance to share her fears and experiences with people who understand.

"I've been coming to St Catherine's since last September," she said: "I had suffered from chest complaints for a long time and I was coughing badly for more than two years before I was diagnosed."

She was eventually taken to hospital by her daughter for an X-ray and doctors recognised immediately the shadow on her lung. She had to have part of it removed almost straight away.

"I was in terrible pain after the operation," said Bridie. "But there was no follow up care. It was my nephew who eventually arranged for me to come to St Catherine's. He told me they would be able to help stop the pain.

"But I was doubtful, I thought coming to a hospice meant I was coming here to die. I was very reluctant and very depressed once I arrived."

Bridie's initial visit was for two weeks but it took a few days before she settled in. "I thought I'd been sent here to die. So I refused to go to bed, I must have been terribly hard work!"

"I think a lot of people have the same misconceptions," she said. "But now I come just once a week and it has helped me immensely.

"To meet people who are ill with similar problems, it's great. Having someone to talk to who understands what you are going through makes the world of difference."

Bridie takes advantage of a lot of the facilities, including the different therapies. The most important side of things is being able to talk openly about what's happening to her with people who understand.

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