Portsmouth man says hospice cuddle-bed replaced pain with heartfelt feeling
It comes as Rowan's Hospice in Waterlooville call for donations to help them to afford more cuddle-beds
A Portsmouth man who lost his wife last year says the hospice's cuddle-bed helped to take some of the pain away.
A cuddle-bed is a hospital bed that extends from a single into a double at the press of a button, to allow partners and families to lie next to their loved ones.
Andy Jacques lost his wife, Paula, in December last year and was able to use a cuddle bed.
He said: "This particular bed changed things massively.
"It gave me that last chance to lay down next to her and to hold her.
"When you haven't got it, you've got a single bed with sides up and all you can do is stand there and hold their hands.
"When you've been with someone for so many years, and all you want to do is cuddle them?
"It just ticks every single box.
"It brings emotion to you, and I just can't thank them enough.
"These beds mean so much to so many people.
"When I look back at how much pain we've gone through, but then, when I look at what we had in that last day.
"Just for me to lay down next to Paula, it didn't matter whether she knew I was there or not, the fact that you could do that for the last time."
Each bed costs around £15,000, and Rowan's Hospice in Waterlooville say they're having to choose between patients and beds.
They're asking for more donations to help fund more beds in the hospice.
They currently have three available and need 11 more.
Jo Fricker, Deputy CEO and Clinical Director for the Rowan's Hospice, said: "We have three cuddle beds at the moment, however, three is not enough.
"We have 16 beds open, which can go up to 17, and at the moment, we have to choose who gets a cuddle bed.
"It's really, really difficult, especially knowing what they can provide for a patient or family.
"If the community want to come together and pull together and provide the magic of Christmas with additional beds, that would be amazing."