By Leicester Mercury | Posted: 17 September, 2015
When Sudha Gokani was diagnosed with mouth cancer three years ago, her daughter-in-laws Pramila and Bharti became her full-time carers.
"When she told us she had cancer, we were very shocked," said 64-year-old Pramila, of Leicester city centre. "I don't think it had really hit her. We thought she was joking at first."
Sudha had an operation – however, that was unsuccessful and the cancer started to spread.
"She had a massive lump on her face, so she wouldn't go out or see anyone," said Pramila.
"When she got very ill, she wouldn't eat either and it was so hard for us. We were so close to her, it was difficult for us to see her like that."
Pramila said Sudha had told them she wanted to die at LOROS.
"She didn't want to go to hospital," added Pramila.
"She said when the time came, she wanted to be in the hospice."
On September 25 last year, Sudha was taken to LOROS.
"She was ill but she was happy she was at LOROS," said Pramila.
"She knew she was in the right place and she was happy.
"She was so relaxed and so peaceful.
Sudha was only at the hospice for a night before she died on September 26.
Pramila said: "It was about 7.45 in the morning and I got a call, telling me she had just had her last breath. We both came into LOROS and, even then, she looked so peaceful and they had put flowers beside her. It was really nice.
"We know that those last few hours of her life were the best they could have been."
Pramila and Bharti still regularly visit LOROS, to get complementary therapy, such as back massages and reflexology.
"From the moment we came into LOROS, the nurses haven't stopped looking after us all.
"The way the patients are cared for is brilliant," said 63-year-old Bharti, of Thurmaston.
"But it's not just the patients, it's the support we were given as well.
"Even now, the staff at LOROS have told us that any time we need anything, we should contact them.
"Somebody from LOROS even phoned us to let us know that they were putting a tree figure up outside and we could hang a leaf on it in Sudha's memory.
"It will be so nice for us to bring our children and relatives from India to show them."
