An ambulance took Daisy to hospital, and it all went downhill from there. We were eventually told she had months to live. And then they said it was days.
Bob's story
We supported Bob when his fiancé Daisy died. We were able to offer wellbeing and financial support which helped Bob get through the toughest time of his life.
Bob and Daisy met on a dating app, instantly clicking. On their very first date, a bee kept following Daisy around, as if she was a flower. This stuck with them as a symbol of how they felt the first time they met. Bumblebees became their thing.
Their relationship grew and remained strong as Covid-19 swept the world. Moving in together, they became each other’s happy place, both holding onto that sense of belonging – which ultimately carried them through to the other side of the pandemic.
Daisy’s health
Daisy had been through a lot in her life. A few years earlier, she’d been diagnosed with a brain tumour followed by successful treatment. She was now receiving regular check-ups every six months, and so far so good. Bob was always there to hold her hand during appointments.
As time went by, Bob knew he wanted to propose (and Daisy wanted Bob to propose). Eventually, they picked a ring together, and designed it into a honeycomb shape, a reminder of their very first date.
And then the cancer came back. Initially it just felt like a headache until Bob came home one day to find Daisy collapsed on the floor.
Getting support
Daisy passed away knowing how loved she was, a beacon of light living through the memories of those who knew her.
Bob was heartbroken. In addition to trying to cope with his grief, he now faced an overwhelming list of practical and financial things to sort out. Struggling to afford daily living costs, he gave us a call.
After a long chat about wellbeing and signposting to the right places, we talked through Bob’s finances with him and found that we could provide financial support, doing everything we possibly could to help him through the toughest time of his life.
The Charity for Civil Servants kept me afloat. I’m so grateful.
Giving Back
It tied me over whilst I got everything else sorted out. I know I don’t have to pay it back, but I want to. I’m going to donate it back to the Charity over time so I can help somebody else. I want to help other civil servants and their families, so this is my way of doing that…
I’m still writing my grief journals and telling Daisy about my day, how much I miss her … I’ve still got the honeycomb ring. I remember when she was in the hospice towards the end and the nurse said it was time to take her ring off, as her fingers were swelling from the medication. That was a really sad moment. So, I bought her a necklace to put the ring on so she could wear it until the very end…
…Sometimes it’s not about fixing things is it, it’s just about being there for someone… letting them know you’re there.
Some elements of this story have been anonymised or changed to protect the person’s identity.
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