Brother's dying wishes honoured

When a dying man said he wanted to see his sister ‘married’ before he died, the hospital caring for him made his wish come true. Amie Knott’s brother Andrew died in November – five months before her wedding – after battling a rare genetic disorder, fanconi anaemia, for 17 years.

He spent much of his last few months on the Palliative Care Unit at the city’s Northern General Hospital where staff did everything they could to fulfil his wishes – including staging Amie’s ‘wedding’ which she knew her brother would not live to see.

“The day was unreal; we had flowers, bunting, wedding gifts and confetti. The reception area looked stunning and we had not done a single thing. It was the nurses who, on top of their ever-increasing workload had set everything up so that Andrew could have a lovely day.

“They had organised everything in less than 48 hours,” says Amie who is now raising money for the unit, another of Andrew’s wishes. She is also campaigning for changes to the law to make organ donation an ‘opt out’ system

“My brother could have been saved by a double lung transplant, however he died while waiting for one.”

Andrew was diagnosed with fanconi anaemia in 1999, aged just 10. It is a life-limiting disorder, causing bone marrow failure and a high probability of cancers.

“Andrew had regular blood transfusions and frequently suffered with infections. A few years later he had a bone marrow transplant and he managed to enjoy an improved quality of life after that.”

But four years ago he developed Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome – a serious lung condition which can result following a bone marrow transplant. Andrew’s condition worsened and he spent little time outside of hospital. After suffering a stroke he was put under the care of the Palliative Care Unit.

“The staff that cared for him were exceptional,” says Aimie.“They’d groom his beard, go to the canteen and get him cappuccinos and sit with him when he was feeling low.

“He considered them all to be not just medical staff, but friends who he was grateful to know. The staff ensured every effort was made to help Andrew achieve his dreams. The biggest of these dreams was seeing me and David get married.

“Since my brother left me, raising money for the Palliative Care Unit is the thing that somehow keeps me going,” says Amie.

Since Andrew’s death, Amie has raised more than £800 for Sheffield Hospitals Charity through a mix of running events and climbing Mount Snowdon, where she scattered his ashes.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity provided £1.4 million to build the Palliative Care Unit, where Andrew was cared for in his final days.

To donate to the Palliative Care Unit, visit www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/why-help-patients/palliative-care or call 01142 267351.