Married 'soulmates' spent final days side by side

Chris and Lynne Johnson, from Bolsover in Derbyshire, had been married for 52 years before both were diagnosed with cancer and eventually moved to Ashgate Hospice in February.

The hospice arranged for the pair's beds to be placed in the same room, allowing them to hold hands in Mrs Johnson's final moments.

Eight days later, Mr Johnson then died with his brother Alwyn and the couple's pet dog Tess by his side.

Their daughter, Julie Whittaker, has decided to now share the story and is now calling on the government to review funding so more people can access end-of-life services.

She said: "Dad was there for mum's last breath. He was holding her hand, and he took so much comfort in that.

"Not only do all people deserve the end-of-life care that my parents received, but when patients are in a hospice instead of a hospital, it takes the strain off the NHS."

Mr Johnson, 76, met Mrs Johnson, 69, when he was carrying out his rounds as a milkman in Clay Cross, Derbyshire.

Ms Whittaker said: "He was out one particular day delivering milk and caught sight of mum, every time after that he tried to make sure that he would see her. Mum knew the sort of time he'd be around and always made sure she had her best outfits on for hanging out the washing."

The couple began dating and wed in 1972, with their son Garry arriving in 1973 and Ms Whittaker in 1974.

They lived in the same house together in Bolsover for 47 years.

The pair tied the knot in the 1970s and were inseparable their whole lives

But in 2023, Mr Johnson became ill and was eventually diagnosed with bowel and secondary liver cancer.

At first, Mrs Johnson was looking after him, but in December she began showing symptoms of confusion and seizures, which turned out to be a glioblastoma brain tumour.

They were both given care at home before their increasing needs meant they had to move to the hospice.

The couple's family described them as "soulmates"

Ms Whittaker said: "They did everything together, and other than when they were at work they were never apart; they were proper soulmates.

"It was such a whirlwind, everything happened so quickly.

"If both couldn't be cared for at the hospice, it would have been so heartbreaking for us choosing who we were going to be with. Having them together gave our family so much more time with them both."

Each year, Ashgate Hospice said it needed to raise £11m to continue to deliver palliative and end-of-life care and support, with less than a third of its income coming from NHS budgets.

Ms Whittaker is now campaigning for a government review into hospice funding so that more families are able to access hospice care when they need it.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We want a society where every person, their families, and carers, receive high-quality, compassionate care, from diagnosis through to end of life.

"The government is going to shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community. We recognise that the care system, including hospices, will play a vital role in doing this."

-bbc