“Just knowing somebody is there to help makes a difference”

Kenton resident Sudhir Ahluwalia feels blessed knowing that St Luke’s is here to support him while he undergoes treatment for cancer.

When Sudhir Ahluwalia heard The Queen was visiting St Luke’s Hospice to open its refurbished building in 2001, he wandered across from his home near Kenton Grange to catch a glimpse of the occasion.

It also happened to be his birthday.

“I came here just to see The Queen,” he recalled. “From my house to St Luke’s it’s only a five-minute walk.”

At the time, Sudhir knew little about the hospice beyond its charity shops. Now, nearly 25 years later, he has returned for a very different reason.

After being diagnosed with stage four blood cancer, the treatment left Sudhir extremely weak, damaging the muscles in his arms and legs.

He now receives massage therapy at St Luke’s, helping to ease discomfort and improve movement.

“When I get the massage over here, it activates it slightly,” he said. “It definitely makes me feel better.”

But for Sudhir, the support has gone beyond physical care. Staff have also helped him access welfare benefits advice and practical support, including applying for Attendance Allowance and a Blue Badge.

“Sometimes you are so engrossed in your own illness that you don’t think properly,” he said.

“Just knowing somebody is there to help makes a difference.”

A retired British diplomat who served around the world with his wife Veena, Sudhir says the kindness shown to him at St Luke’s has helped him through one of the hardest periods of his life.

“Sometimes you have to count the small blessings,” he said.