75982-8PAT Suddaby and Lindy Harden are like two peas in a pod. They chat nearly every day on the phone, meet up every week for a meal and a couple of glasses of wine, and even pair up for summer holidays.

And they owe their friendship to Pat's late husband, Ray.

Lindy Harden, from Pinehurst, has been a Marie Curie nurse since 1992.

Nine years ago she was assigned to Mr Suddaby, who was terminally ill with a brain tumour.

Lindy, who is also known as Twiggy, was Pat's guardian angel, bringing much-needed laughter into the couple's Purton home.

"She was wonderful," said Pat, who helps the charity with fundraising events. "Twiggy would arrive at 10pm and stay until 7am, giving me time to sleep. She was always there for us both when the future looked bleak.

"Before she started coming I would lie on the floor next to the bed just waiting for Ray to have a fit.

"I would wake up in the morning feeling exhausted and then I would have to care for him all day.

"When the Marie Curie nurses walk through the door you can feel the weight of responsibility lift off your shoulders.

"It's terrifying looking after someone who is dying. You never know what is going to happen."

Ray died in February 1996 after being looked after by Lindy for just a few weeks.

"After Ray died Twiggy told me to ring her if I ever needed a friend to talk to.

"I went into deep depression following his death but after a few months I phoned her.

"We're now really close friends. We've been to Spain, Holland and Germany together and had some wonderful times together."

Lindy said listening to a client's relative is just as important as delivering pain relief to the patient.

"When you walk through the door into someone's home you never know what kind of welcome you are going to get but most people are relieved to see us," she said.

"For many, Marie Curie Cancer Care is a lifeline. Although I am serious when the situation demands it, I try to be jolly to give people a bit of a lift.

"I can still remember what Pat said to me when we went out for our first meal.

"She told me that she wanted to be around someone who could make her laugh.

"People were very good to her, but at the same time they were all very sad. Pat felt that she now needed to take control of her life."

Lindy ensures that relatives of former clients receive a sympathy card on the anniversary of a death.

"It's just something that I like to do personally," she said.

"It shows them that someone cares and is thinking about them on that day."

Throughout February and March the charity holds its annual Daffodil Appeal.

Similar to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal, people are asked to donate cash for a flower.

More sellers are needed in Swindon. Anyone who can help should call 0117 924 7275.

Kevin Shoesmith