As most of my support workers know as well as Colin (Senior Service Manager with Penumbra)  I have terminal cancer and over the past year I have been creating a “bucket list”.

My story goes way back 51 years ago to be precise, when I was 15 years old.  I had my first admission in a psychiatric hospital in Glasgow.  During my time there I visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery.  I found a great love of the paintings and exhibitions and could easily spend hours in there…a place of safety in my mind. I was in hospital for over 6 months and never had any visitors, no family or even birthday or Christmas cards it was a very dark time of my life.  However, with being able to visit the Gallery this gave me hope for my future.

As the years have pass and I have always had a longing to return back to the gallery and when making up my list this is something that I thought would not be possible.  With the support from my workers at Penumbra this was arranged.

Leading up to the day I was nervous, excited a whole mix of emotions again my support workers provided support by letting me talk about any apprehensions I had about the day.

I booked the taxi to take us there, on the day I talked none stop, my worker was very understanding and all my worries disappeared.

We arrived and I had butterflies in my tummy seeing the building brought back loads of memories.