A Melbourn mum whose husband died of cancer has spoken about the couple’s experience at Cambs-based Arthur Rank Hospice, as the charity’s drive to raise more than £20,000 in November reaches its final push.

Mike Bradbrook was diagnosed with renal and metastic bone cancer in January after going to the doctors with a bad back.

In February he was moved into Arthur Rank Hospice, and died just three months later.

His wife Kirsty said: “This whole scenario was the worst thing that has ever happened to me, that I have ever experienced or I could imagine ever experiencing in my life.

“I find it astounding that despite the torture of that situation, there was still something positive in it – and that is what we got from the hospice.

“Our daughter Lisee, who is now five, couldn’t really visit Mike in the hospital, but at the hospice there were playrooms and toys she could play with.

“If daddy was tired we could just take her out to the room next door.

“He could go out into the garden with her and we got a little crazy golf set. It made an immeasurable difference.

“Mike felt safe at the hospice. He had the comfort of knowing there were people there taking care of him who were the right people.

“They made him feel better, when I couldn’t do that. There’s not a financial value you can put on that.

”In Mike’s last hour, we had Debbie, one of the healthcare assistants, sat with us in the room. She was there ready to step in when the time came.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to everybody. I have no regrets about how that time went. There’s nothing more anyone could have done – given his health and the severity and rapid onset of what happened – to make the situation any better than it was.

“I am and I will be, eternally grateful for that. We got three months as a family. It made all the difference – it really did.”

Arthur Rank Hospice Care needs £7.45 million to run annually, that’s £20,410.96 for a day. And they have been pushing to raise one day’s total during November, which marks one year since their new facility opened in Shelford Bottom.

To find out more about hosting a fundraiser email fundraising@arhc.org.uk, or to donate go justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/arhospice/firstbirthday.