Dinah’s story
‘Everyone absolutely pulled out all the stops to make sure Keith could die at home. His wishes were paramount. I’ll praise everybody as much as I can for what they did for us. Everyone cared for Keith so respectfully and lovingly.’
Dinah raised an incredible £1,000 for Blythe House Hospice by taking on our Chatsworth 10k event in September 2025, in memory of her dear husband, Keith, who died peacefully at home in Matlock in July with support from our hospice nurses.
Together for over 25 years, the couple married in 2002, and Dinah says she feels ‘very lucky’ to have shared so many happy years with him.
There was a touch of irony to Dinah’s decision to take part in the Chatsworth 10k: ‘I was supposed to do it several years ago, but I’d heard it was a really tough course and that put me off.’
When Blythe House nurses began visiting Keith at home, Dinah recognised the logo on their uniforms and felt inspired to finally take on the challenge: ‘It was actually easier than I’d expected. It wasn’t as steep as I’d imagined and the terrain was very manageable. I got round in 1 hour 21 minutes, which isn’t bad for a snail like me!’
A happy spring
‘I knew Keith’s angina was worsening significantly. From the beginning of the year, I’d been mentally preparing myself for him becoming more and more unwell. But we were still able to enjoy a lot together – outings to local places and trips in the car. It was a lovely spring, and we went to quite a few of our favourite spots.
‘Keith was worried about having a heart attack and he desperately didn’t want to go into hospital. I confided in a friend because I was so worried too. How would I make sure he could stay at home, like he wanted?
‘We met a friend in Tissington on 9th July, enjoyed a coffee at the café and had a walk to the candle shop. The next day, we went to Dimminsdale and had lunch at a pub. Literally two days after those lovely outings, Keith began his final decline. It was very hard for him – he just couldn’t get his head around how quickly things changed.
‘That last week, I knew I needed more help. One night, I found it really hard to cope. I looked up care agencies and got in touch with a company in Chesterfield who were able to send carers overnight so I could rest. But that first night I tried to stay with him because he wanted me to be there. He was so restless; he couldn’t settle or sleep and kept wanting to move between the chair and the bed.
Keith supporting Dinah after she finished her Virtual London Marathon in Matlock – October 2022
Up at Riber looking over Matlock – August 2022
Roaming Car support
‘During Keith’s last three nights, I just felt I needed someone to come – I needed that extra support. The Blythe House Roaming Car team arrived one evening at around 11 o’clock. They administered medication to help Keith feel more comfortable and settled. As soon as they arrived, I felt such a sense of relief.
‘Keith died peacefully and comfortably at home at the end of July, supported by the wonderful hospice team. Having that support meant the world – everyone absolutely pulled out all the stops to make sure Keith could die at home. His wishes were paramount. I’ll praise everybody as much as I can for what they did for us. Everyone cared for Keith so respectfully and lovingly.
‘I think it’s amazing what you do – and knowing it’s funded by charity makes it even more incredible. Doing the Chatsworth 10k and raising £1,000 for the hospice was my way of giving something back for the support we received.’
