‘I just want to spend time with my Nana’: Devon hospice grants one boy’s simple wish

Nine-year-old Max Willmer has one simple wish: more time with his Nana. It's a wish most of us would take for granted, but for Max, it feels both precious and uncertain.

His grandmother, Rosemary Willmer, was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, and the days that followed were among the darkest the family had known.

Then North Devon Hospice stepped in. And everything changed.

"If it wasn't for the hospice, I don't know if my Nana would be here," says Max quietly. "So I'm just really thankful that I get to spend time with her."

The hospice have transformed Rosemary's outlook, physically and emotionally, enabling her to make the most of every day despite her life-limiting illness. Special family sessions at the hospice have been central to this, helping younger members of the family build lasting memories while gently preparing them for the road ahead.

"This is not a place where you come to die. It's somewhere that you learn how to live."

For Rosemary herself, the difference has been profound. "This is not a place where you come to die," she says. "It's somewhere that you learn how to live. I was very low after my initial diagnosis, but it's been a couple of years now and North Devon Hospice have helped me get to such a positive place. Somewhere I look forward to every day and make the most of every moment."

Her daughter Claire is equally moved. "It's a home-from-home for us now," she says. "It's such a welcoming environment. The boys get to spend time with other children going through the same thing. It can feel very isolating and confusing for young ones, but the team just make everything feel normal and we can make the most of our time together."

The Willmers are far from alone. Jo Palmer, a hospice counsellor who specialises in supporting children and young people, says demand for these services has never been greater.

"We are caring for more patients in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s than ever before," she says. "Sadly, more local children and teenagers are being left to navigate life without a parent. Your support will ensure that no young person has to face that grief alone."

It is this growing and urgent need that lies behind the hospice's current Living Through Loss appeal. The charity is asking the local community to donate now, with a target of £50,000 by the end of March. Funds raised will go towards more bereavement counselling, support groups, art therapies and specialist emotional support for children and their families.

Claire Willmer's message to local people is heartfelt and direct. "Please do consider supporting this appeal," she says. "It will help so many people like my mum and Max to make fantastic memories and remember how to live."

Families like the Willmers can be supported by North Devon Hospice from the moment a loved one is diagnosed, and at every step of the journey that follows. No family should have to walk that path alone.