Just a few weeks after receiving her diagnosis, Tina’s health declined so suddenly that her family feared they were losing her. But what followed wasn’t the end they had thought. Instead, arriving at The Prince of Wales Hospice gave Tina something she never expected to have again: more time. Time to regain strength, to be with her family, prepare for her wishes, and organise the things that matter most.
Tina Burkill, from Normanton, was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2026. Not long after starting treatment, she became critically unwell. She deteriorated so quickly that she doesn’t even remember being transferred to the Hospice.
Her daughters, Stacie, Jamie and Danielle, were called urgently to A&E and warned that things were incredibly serious they said, “The Hospital staff told us it could be two minutes, it could be ten, until she dies”. “We slept on the hospital floor. We’d said our goodbyes. We’d prepared for the worst.”
When the team suggested a move to The Prince of Wales Hospice, nobody knew whether Tina would survive the journey.
But she did.
What happened next was something the whole family describes as nothing short of remarkable.
Tina had always said she wanted end‑of‑life care in a hospice. Her mum had been cared for at Wakefield Hospice, so she knew what hospice care meant. What she didn’t expect was that it would completely turn her situation around.
“I’ve pinched some more time,” she said. “The doctors are brilliant; they tell it how it is. But the care from them and the nurses, they just kept going, kept persisting with the antibiotics. I’ve still got cancer, but now I’ve pinched a bit more time. I’ve got lucky.”
For her family, the change was profound. Danielle and Jamie shared: “We’ve had the time to find out and understand Mum’s wishes. We’ve gone from complete blind panic to feeling just a little more prepared.”
Tina’s whole family, her husband, her three daughters, and her many grandchildren – “too many to count,” Tina laughs – were happy to watch her regain strength, comfort and peace in a place she had always trusted.
The hospice’s Clinical Team worked closely with Tina to stabilise her symptoms and rebuild her strength. Their persistence and support have helped her reach a point she once thought impossible. She is now preparing to go home.
For Tina, this progress feels like a gift. For her family, it brings reassurance and hope. This is hospice care.
Stories from our patients
