How do you give someone a good end of life, whatever the illness? We asked three Marie Curie Nurses

"I ease their pain"

– Caty Hollis, Marie Curie Nurse

Pain can take over your whole life. When you get a headache or toothache, you can't think of anything else. A patient's quality of life is really poor when they're in pain, they can't enjoy anything. If we can control someone's pain, we can give them their life back.

Some of the people we see have quite complex symptoms. Pain is so debilitating, and a lot of our patients have lived in severe pain for a long time. So, we're very good at coming up with different combinations of medications that might help them cope with their pain or reduce their pain.

Nausea and vomiting are high on the list of symptoms we manage, too. Nausea is especially difficult for carers and family members because feeding is one of the basic things that we do for our loved ones.

One of the best things we do at Marie Curie – and the basis for why we're here – is ensuring that people can have the best end of life that they possibly can – for them and their loved ones.

"My job is to make their living space feel like home again"

– Asiatu Kanu, Marie Curie Urgent Hospice Care at Home Nurse

The reason I wanted to work in palliative care in the first place was so I could spend more time with patients and their families. People let me into their homes, and it's a very intimate setting – especially when a person is dying. Working as a Marie Curie Nurse, I can give patients one-to-one care, comfort and dignity as they reach the end of their lives, right in their home.

One person I cared for that has stuck with me was a young man who had been married to his wife for less than a year. The couple had a young toddler who was very active at the time, and because the husband was receiving end of life care at home, their living space had become difficult.

We were called out several nights in a row for his pain control, sometimes two or three times in the same night. One night I noticed his wife was very stressed, so I sat her down to discuss how she was coping with her husband and their little one.

She told me how she had no help from friends or family at all and was doing everything herself. I was able to let her know that other services were available and recommended our out-of-hours care. On my next visit I was relieved to notice a big difference in her wellbeing.

She later thanked me and the service for giving her the respite she needed. Her husband sadly died the following week, so that time she was able to gain back to spend with him was precious.

"When someone wants to talk, I really listen"

– Jan, Marie Curie Information Support Nurse

As an Information Support Nurse, I offer people a safe space to talk over the phone in a protected environment.

It's an incredible mix of people who reach out to us: parents, children, partners, friends. It takes an enormous amount of courage to pick up the phone and ask for support, and my focus has always been to listen – absolutely listen.

Taking the stress away for families that call in about their loved ones isn't always easy, but it helps to enable them, empower them, perhaps for the very first time. It lets them ask some of the most powerful questions. What is it going to look like when my loved one dies? How can I help them? Having those difficult but necessary conversations can make all the difference.

We often get calls about cancer, but we actually support all kinds of terminal conditions. That means motor neuron disease (MND), heart disease, kidney disease, even cognitive impairment including dementia and Alzheimer's. We can help anyone affected by them.

The main thing that I really aspire to do as a Marie Curie Nurse is make a difference when it matters most. I listen to those who don't necessarily have a voice, those who may be frightened. I really do feel by listening. Listening can make a world of difference for somebody who's frightened and looking for help.

Whatever the illness, we're with you to the end. Call 0800 090 2309 for support today.