CaST member Sara

Our Creative Clay sessions are popular with a number of our CaST (Creative and supportive Therapy) members, including Sara Fish, who attends every Tuesday and Thursday to work on her beautiful creations.

Sara is 35 and views the hospice as her “happy place”.  After her daughter was born in 2020, Sara was diagnosed with breast cancer, but it had already spread to her liver.

“I am learning to accept and live with my limitations, but I refuse to let it limit my life. I still want to be the best mother my daughter deserves. With the support I receive from the hospice and other CaST members, I am able to do that.”

Sara still receives treatment for her condition, and fits in her time with the hospice around those appointments. “I only have around a third of the energy I used to have, which means I cannot be the mother I want to be. With the hospice support, I am learning to accept that, and still be the mother my daughter deserves.”

Sara first became aware of the hospice after her father-in-law used the services ten years ago. “The hospice doesn’t feel clinical. The open gardens, the Café, the people. Everyone is so accommodating. Some people struggle to put a foot in, then realise they didn’t need to be so nervous.”

Sara was referred to the hospice by her GP and was reticent because she thought it was only for end of life care. She has since discovered it has more things for her to access, including the complementary therapies and the counselling services, but it is the CaST activities which Sara enjoys the most. “It is vibrant and crazy, and everyone is on your side. We all share a positive outlook. This is why it is my happy place.”

To see some of the beautiful items CaST members like Sara have created, visit Café Retreat - displays of their work are on show in and around the entrance to the restaurant.