Devoted wife turns grief into hope with Cheddar Gorge abseil

Rebecca Gordon's husband, Kevin, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in July 2021.

"Kevin and I were soulmates," Rebecca said.

"We both wanted him to stay at home throughout his illness.

"My cousin converted our house so we could keep Kevin at home, which meant so much to us."

However, as Kevin's condition deteriorated, it became clear that they needed additional support.

"Kevin was admitted to [St Margaret's] In-Patient Unit so they could get his pain under control and give him the medication he needed," Rebecca said.

"As soon as we arrived at the hospice, I knew we’d made the best choice for Kevin."

Rebecca expressed her desire to be close to her ailing husband by sleeping next to him on a makeshift bed.

Responding to this, St Margaret's organised a cuddle bed for them.

"The nurses told us they’d arrange for Kevin and I to use one of their cuddle beds the following day," she said.

"I burst into tears, it was so important to us to have that time together."

When Rebecca returned to the hospice after picking up clothes the next day, she was moved to tears upon finding a rose on her pillow, placed at the request of her husband.

She said: "Kevin’s favourite flower was roses and the nurses had been out in the garden and put a rose on my pillow on the bed and that meant the world to me. 

"It was so precious. I found out later that Kevin had asked the nurses to do that for me and I think it was his way of saying goodbye."

That night, Kevin's condition declining, they were surrounded by their children in their last moments together.

"Kevin passed away shortly after that and it was so peaceful, he just slipped away," Rebecca said.

Inspired by the hospice's compassionate support, Rebecca resolved to give back.

The opportunity presented itself in the form of a charity abseil down Cheddar Gorge in Santa costumes, an event run by St Margaret's Hospice.

Rebecca Gordon and her son, Alex (Image: St Margret's)

She embarked on this daring venture mere five months after Kevin's death, marking it as a momentous tribute to her late husband.

The annual Santa Abseil is a fundraising event by St Margaret’s Hospice, inviting participants to experience a 60ft abseil down the iconic Cheddar Gorge.

This year, it is scheduled for December 2, 2023.

To participate, visit www.st-margarets-hospice.org.uk/santa-abseil.