"I come here to live"

The 79-year-old grandfather of 13 is in high spirits despite the fact he is in the middle of receiving a blood transfusion - which he describes as a "top-up".

Sitting on his right, a similarly cheerful Jill Loder, 62, of Wembley, has put down her knitting and takes the time to talk about how St Luke's gives her the chance to meet friends, have a chat and generally get away from it all.

John and Jill are both cancer patients, their disease has progressed to the latter stages but weekly visits to the Kenton Road hospice keep them going and give them the opportunity to speak to doctors and nurses whenever their pain or symptoms get the better of them.

Jill, a mother-of-two, said: "I have been coming here for the last year.

"I have got breast cancer, I have had it twice. Originally I had it 15 years ago and recovered from that and then again eight years ago. But about 18 months ago it came back and has spread to my spine and liver."

Jill, who was a medical secretary at Northwick Park Hospital for 16 years, is dropped off at the day care unit by her loving husband every Thursday.

She added: "It is wonderful here, we can all talk and catch up. It is nice to be with people like me, who understand. The staff understand, the volunteers understand.

"People think hospices are where you go to die, but it's not like that, I come here to live."

Around 20 patients attend the hospice every day, benefitting from the medical expertise, organised activities, complementary therapies and more, while the 12 rooms in the in-patient unit are normally full of those needing around-the-clock care.

John, who lives in Alperton with his wife of 55 years, has been visiting the hospice every Monday for the last year.

On being referred to the hospice, he had severe difficulty walking but after a course of physiotherapy, the father-of-four is back on his feet with the aid of a walking stick.

He said: "Before coming here I was miserable - just ask my wife - but now I feel much better. I come here for pleasant chat and to meet people who are always full of nice words.

"The nursing staff here are great, I would take them all home if I could."

This year marks St Luke's 20th year serving Brent and Harrow's multi-cultural communities.

It costs £6,000 a day to run the hospice - which is a registered charity - yet only a third of that funding comes from the NHS.

Far from being a place of doom and gloom, the hospice, surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers, is manned by friendly, dedicated staff whose first priority is the patient - some 500 volunteers, working in and out of the hospice, are testament to the hospice's success.

Diane Owen, 70, of Harrow, has spent seven years volunteering at the hospice for two days a week.

Just having returned form a five-day sponsored walk in Ireland, the former teacher at Glebe School has raised £700 to help towards the cost of caring for patients coping with a number of advanced progressive illnesses, no longer termed as curable.

Diane explained: "I had cancer when I left school so it is important for me to be able to help. You never know when you may need someone.

"Working here, you never hear anyone complain, there is such a good atmosphere."

Adding to her sentiments, John Carling, 66, the chairman of the trustees, has been a St Luke's volunteer for more than 15 years.

He said: "Everybody from the gardeners to the cooks will say there is a genuine respect for the patients, they are the most important people.

"We have had one young boy celebrate his 21st birthday at the hospice and another man was awarded an MBE while he was here.

"We are 100 per cent patient orientated."

Too many to mention, the host of services provided by St Luke's prove this quiet oasis hidden from the main road, is more than a network of sterile rooms and daunting contraptions, but is a place of hope and laughter run by people who really care.

To find out how you can help raise vital funds for the hospice - and to celebrate its 20th anniversary - call 020 8382 8000 or visit www.stlukes-hospice.org