RANDHIR Sidhu said watching his mother suffer was the toughest time of his life.
In September last year his mother Gurbax Kaur was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer and Randhir and the rest of his family cared for her.
Her condition worsened in February and nurses from Marie Curie came round to help the family care for her and make her as comfortable as possible. She died in March at the age of 59, leaving four sons and a daughter.
"It was really tough just being so helpless," said Randhir, of Bilborough .
"There was nothing we could really do for her. We knew her time was coming up and it was just a case of waiting. Seeing her suffer was very hard. It was the toughest period of my life."
Nurses from Marie Curie came in to help the family about two or three weeks before bcbgirls shoes wedge she died.
Randhir added: "The whole family were around during the day and we were caring for her at night. Although it was a difficult it was also quite uplifting.
"In February the pain started to get worse, she was in constant pain. She was basically taking morphine through an intravenous drip. The nurses would come in every evening and a nurse would stay with her all night, making sure she was getting her drinks and wasn't in too much pain.
"Even afterwards they gave us a bit of support. It was quite nice to have the support."
Marie Curie in Nottingham has now been given a grant of Pounds 242,500 by the Big Sexy Costumes Lottery Fund to fund training for people to become Marie Curie helpers and support people like Randhir. The helpers will offer support and information to terminally ill people and their families. The grant will fund the pilot for two years.
Ruth Bravery, director of volunteering at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: "Marie Curie helpers are there to listen to people with cancer and other terminal ill-nesses, and talk through any worries they or their families may have, as well as providing information about care and support services available locally.
"This is a very rewarding way to help people in your local area achieve their wish of remaining at home at the end of their lives."
Randhir has decided to give something back to the charity that supported him and his family. Later this month, he will fly to Peru to do an eight-day trek across the ruins of Machu Picchu. He has exceeded his fundraising target and is training for the challenge.
To support him, visit .
com/Randhir-Sidhu Do your bit for Curie cause Volunteers are needed to work as Marie Replica Prada handbags Curie Helpers to offer support and information to people who are terminally ill and their families.
Helpers are different from nurses because they will not be providing direct care, but they will be trained in how to offer the right support and guidance to the terminally ill and their families and carers.
Volunteers must be 18 or over and able to volunteer at least three hours a week.
For details call 0845 304 8730.
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