A lifelong horse lover was able to spend time with two ponies in the final days of her life after a community appeal helped arrange a surprise hospice visit.
Denise Lee, from Ashington, West Sussex, had loved horses since childhood and volunteered with the Riding for the Disabled Association but her cancer diagnosis meant she could no longer ride.
While receiving care at St Barnabas House in Worthing last month, she told the hospice’s staff she would love to touch a horse and experience the “horsey smell” again.
A healthcare assistant suggested trying to make the wish happen and Joanne, Denise’s daughter, appealed for help through local Facebook community groups.
“She was a horse lover from I think the age of like five or six,” Joanne said.
“She loved all animals, but horses were really special to her. So she rode throughout her whole life.”
