Cheque for £7k is Rosemary's way of saying thanks

Jul 28 2010 By Hannah Williams , Buckinghamshire Examiner

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A WOMAN who cared for her terminally ill husband in the final days of his life with the help of Iain Rennie Hospice at Home has raised more than £7,000 for the charity.

When Rosemary Higgs's husband Brian developed leukaemia about 18 months ago, he said did not want to be admitted to Wycombe Hospital, where he had worked for 40 years as a general surgeon. Instead he wanted to be cared for at home by 'his Rose'.

Mrs Higgs, 64, a nurse at Wycombe and Amersham Hospitals, gave up work to devote her time to her husband. They were aware of the charity, which cares for people with terminal illnesses in their own home, through one of her daughters, Katie Greig, who has worked as a nurse for the charity for the past nine years.

Mrs Higgs, of Little Missenden, said: "She came and helped me towards the end when it became a bit difficult. We brought his bed downstairs, she had one sofa and I had the other. The last five days of Brian's life we had to get the other Iain Rennie nurses in to put a line in.

"They came twice a day to top up his drugs in the line and give me the support to enable me to carry on."

Mr Higgs, a father of two grown-up sons, Christopher and Richard, and three grandchildren, died on October 4, 2008, aged 73.

Mrs Higgs said: "I now want to give back and I desperately want to raise money to allow more people to have what I had.

"When a surgeon says he wants to be at home he knew that was the best way, to be cared for by these very special nurses. It's the best way to be at home with your family in your own environment and have them come and go." Mrs Higgs held a ball for more than 100 guests at the Village Hall in Little Missenden, which raised the funds for the charity, the hall, and the village's cricket team, where Mr Higgs used to be president.

Next month, Mrs Higgs plans to hold a Chiltern Big Brew event for 50 guests at her home in aid of the charity.

Helen Mariner, IRHH's head of fundraising, said: "We are encouraging people to hold their own tea party, coffee morning or picnic and to raise money for IRHH by charging guests for the food and drink they enjoy.

"If an event raises just £150 it will have paid for 24 hours of nursing care, so everyone really can make a difference, and have fun at the same time."

For more information about the Chilterns Big Brew or to receive a fundraising pack, visit www.irhh.org/bigbrew or call 01442 890 222.