Jack’s story
"The close time I got to spend with my mum and dad when they were there is something I don't think I would have ordinarily had. Because other people were caring for them, I could just focus on spending quality time with them."
Accessibility
Search
- Our care
- For patients & carers
- Hospice stories
- Jack’s story
The care his parents received gave Jack something precious: time to be together, make memories and focus on what mattered most.
In early 2025, both of Jack’s parents came under the care of Thames Hospice within weeks of each other. At one point, his mother was in hospital while his father was being cared for at the Hospice, leaving Jack trying to support them both at the same time.
“Knowing that Dad was being looked after at the Hospice, it was like a massive weight off my shoulders.”
Although his father was only at the Hospice for a few days, the impact of the care he received was profound. A month later, Jack's mother was admitted and the family once again experienced the support and compassion that makes hospice care so special.
The gift of precious moments
For Jack, the care went far beyond meeting his parents' physical needs.
With experienced staff caring for his mum and dad, he could focus on spending quality time with them and making memories together.
"The close time I got to spend with my mum and dad when they were there is something I don't think I would have ordinarily had. Because other people were caring for them, I could just focus on spending quality time with them."
One of those memories was particularly special.
Jack and his wife, Courtney, had planned to marry later that year. As his mum became more unwell, the couple knew they needed to find another way to share their special day with her. With support from the Hospice team, a small wedding ceremony was arranged in The Sanctuary at Thames Hospice. Surrounded by close family, Jack and Courtney exchanged their vows with his mum by their side.
"We had a little ceremony in The Sanctuary, which was just amazing. I'll cherish those memories forever."
For Jack, it was a moment that captured exactly what the Hospice had given his family: the time, space and support to be together when it mattered most.
Giving back Through Hospice FC
While spending time at Thames Hospice, something unexpected happened. Jack reconnected with his childhood friend, Sam Rogers. Having drifted apart over the years, the Hospice was the last place either of them expected to meet again. As they talked, they discovered they shared a similar experience, with Sam's father also receiving care from the Hospice.
Through conversations about their families and the support they had received, the pair realised they both wanted to give something back. What started as an idea soon became Hospice FC, a community fundraising event bringing together football, families and local supporters in aid of Thames Hospice.
The event was about much more than fundraising. It became an opportunity for people across the local community to reconnect through a cause that meant so much to them.
"The Hospice has touched so many different people in this area and in the community. This event is about bringing everyone back together around something that really matters. We've created a team of lads and a lot of them have had loved ones cared for at the hospice, sometimes from five or six years ago, which is really special."
In September 2026, Thames Hospice FC raised more than £12,000, helping to ensure other local families can access the same compassionate care and support that meant so much to Jack, Sam and their loved ones.
"I just want to basically give back to those people."
After the success of the last event, Jack and Sam wish to continue their fundraising efforts through making Hospice FC an annual event.
For Jack, fundraising is about helping other families create the moments that meant so much to him, whether that's spending time together, celebrating a special occasion or simply being alongside loved ones when it matters most.
Read more about how Jack and Sam turned their shared experience of hospice care into Thames Hospice FC, raising vital funds for local hospice care: