Hospice patient surprises wife with romantic dinner

"Jack being Jack, he's a romantic," says Rachael Timmins of her husband, who is receiving end-of-life care in a hospice.

Jack wanted to take Rachael out on a date, so he organised a surprise meal at his bedside at Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

The 38-year-old spoke to nurses to arrange the memorable evening last Tuesday - and staff decorated the room, complete with flowers and candles, and provided some of their favourite foods, including paella, steak and a cheeseboard.

"Doing special things like this means everything, creating lasting memories," Rachael said. "The nurses couldn't have done any more. It was so special."

Jack, from Bolsover, in Derbyshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour - called astrocytoma - after he was taken to hospital in September 2019, following an unexpected seizure.

Rachael, 36, said he had no symptoms prior to the emergency, and after several scans, was told Jack had a tumour on the left side of his brain.

"We were very scared," she said. "We could tell something was wrong.

"He then kept losing his balance and had constant headaches.

"It was the unknown. We didn't know what was going to happen."

Three months later, Jack had 40% of the tumour removed, and radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed.

Unfortunately, later scans showed the tumour began to grow, which led to another surgery in 2021, and further treatment.

Jack was stable until last June, when during a routine six-month scan, doctors found a second tumour on the right.

Later scans showed the tumours had both grown significantly, but Rachael said they were "still hopeful. We still had options".

However, in February, Jack had a stroke caused by the tumours.

Rachael said: "We were told that Jack had a few weeks or months to live.

"They said there was nothing more they could do and stopped treatment."

Jack was admitted to Ashgate Hospice last month, and has spent some days at home with his two children, aged 15 and 10.

Rachael said: "The hospice has given us more quality time together as a family, they've been amazing.

"Jack wanted to take me out, but in the last two weeks, he's not been able to walk.

"He spoke to the nurses and they organised a romantic dinner for a date night.

"I didn't know anything. It was a surprise.

"I walked in, the room was all set up and music playing - from a playlist that my son had put together.

"I was crying happy tears, of course, and Jack was very emotional.

"We ended the evening with a movie and popcorn."

Rachael said since his diagnosis, the family had made special memories, including holidays and going to Newcastle United matches with his son.

"It was lovely, but it's hard at the same time, because you know it could be the last," she added.

Ashgate Hospice said its inpatient unit team worked alongside colleagues from catering, fundraising and retail teams to help create a "very special evening" for Jack and Rachael.

"Wanting to treat Rachael to a romantic meal, Jack and the teams put together a candlelit dinner complete with paella, a cheeseboard, mocktails and flowers, creating lasting memories for the couple," the charity said in a social media post.

"It's moments like these that make Ashgate Hospice so special."

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