My wife Bharti was a volunteer with St Luke’s from the early days at Harrow View. She helped with fundraising, in the finance department after the hospice moved to Kenton Grange, and later went on to volunteer at the Rayners Lane shop. She loved volunteering: she liked to meet new people and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere at the hospice and in the shops.Bharti had the highest regard for St Luke’s and was always encouraging her friends to volunteer. She soon got me involved as a volunteer driver! She was passionate about letting everyone know about the care that was available. In the early days some people thought that because the hospice was called St Luke’s it was a Christian hospice, Bharti helped to spread the word that everyone was welcome.Unfortunately Bharti became unwell and began to require the services of the hospice. Initally she attended as a day patient weekly for nearly a year. Physiotherapy helped to keep her mobile, and she also appreciated the acupuncture which provided some comfort from the pain, as well as the friendship and support of other patients and families. Dr Daniels (the medical director at St Luke’s, who is also a consultant at Northwick Park) and doctor David Lloyd, helped Bharti to get the best medical treatment. On one admission to Northwick Park Dr Daniels convinced her of the benefit of a ventilator which we could use at home. This made the last months of her illness much more comfortable.After several months Bharti’s condition had deteriorated considerably and we were not able to manage at home. So she was admitted to the hospice in patient unit, she already knew some of the staff and therapists. On the Thursday when she was admitted, Alan, the music therapist, came with his instruments and sang a Bhajan, chanting her god’s name, and she was very happy and relaxed. By the Friday she was very weak, but really appreciated having all of her family there, about 25 or 30 people visited on her last day – this would not have been possible in hospital. She died on the Saturday, very peacefully. Her hand was on my arm and she was smiling, I could not believe that she had gone. Even after she had died, her body was treated with great respect and I felt that everyone at the hospice was still looking after me.Bharti always thought about others. When she died she had two wishes. The first was to donate a ventilator to a hospice in India where such things are not readily available, and we did this. The second was that I should continue as a driver at the hospice, and I am still here. Sometimes I do the blood run (collecting blood from Northwick Park for transfusions), and sometimes I drive patients. I enjoy chatting with the people that I am driving, I think that it makes a difference to them to see a friendly face. I also try to encourage others to support the hospice. I go to the Shree Jalaram temple in Greenford as a volunteer and the people there are good supporters of St Luke’s.I don’t feel sad when I come back to the hospice. I have good memories of Bharti’s time here, and I know that I am doing what she would have wanted.