SYBIL Baldwin has become the unofficial poet of Prospect Hospice after her tribute to the Wroughton-based charity received hundreds of likes on their Facebook page.

The 75-year-old wordsmith, who has cared for her 79-year-old husband Colin at their Stratton home since he was diagnosed with cancer, penned her piece after a recent visit and sent it to the Wroughton hospice.

She said: “My husband has cancer and we have been going to the Prospect for support for about two years now.

“I’ve gone to their wellbeing days, and taking part in lots of courses, and Colin goes to stay in there now and then.

“To start with he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but then it migrated and it’s gone into his liver and his bowel and it’s spreading.

“Prospect got in touch with us to find out what kind of support we needed, they’ve just been brilliant. I can’t fault them at all.”

As well as providing respite care and support for Colin, Prospect works closely with carers to give them the support they need to help their loved ones.

Sybil said: “They don’t just support the patients but they do a lot of work with the carers as well.

“They run five-week courses which I’ve been on, and it’s a brilliant support network. The people who go on it are other carers who are going through the same sorts of things, and it means you can talk about things in a way you can’t really explain to other people.”

Sybil wrote the poem to express her admiration for the work the Hospice does.

“They’re just fantastic and I just wanted to write something to say thank you for all the support they have given.”

Sybil has always used writing to express herself and her feelings, and she is often inspired to write in the early hours of the morning.

“The response has been a huge surprise,” she said. “It’s just something I wrote at around 1.30am, I just woke up and wanted to write something.

“I use it to put my thoughts down. It’s just something I do.

“I’m amazed because it went on Facebook and had such a response.”

The Haven

There is a place, not far from town,

Where comfort, love and care are found

The staff are all a special crowd.

Their strengths they do not shout out loud

But quietly go about their task.

Any problems? “Please just ask”

Nothing fazes them at all, all you have to do is call

Let them know you have a worry, fear of illness – they will hurry

The atmosphere is not depressing, if anything it is possessing a quiet, very calming way,

Which helps to drive all fear away.

Serious illness is no fun, but all that can be will be done,

To care for patients far from home. Be assured, they are not alone.

Families are remembered too, so they know what they can do

To help their loved ones cope.

Prospect Hospice’s name is known, respect and love for them is shown

By people who have need of care.

We are so lucky they are there.