Cat, who is in her early 20s, lives with her parents, Carmel and Phil and brother David in Cardiff, South Wales. She has been visiting Douglas House for respite care for 2 years.
An intelligent, lively little girl, at the age of 11 Cat was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which was operated on and treated with surgery and Radiotherapy. This has left her with limited physical abilities, loss of memory, sometimes with speech difficulties and other complications.
Her parents were able to get respite care for her at Ty Hafan Children’s Hospice in the Vale of Glamorgan, and she thoroughly enjoyed her visits there until she was 18. After two years without respite care, the family looked for somewhere that could offer a similar caring, safe environment to Ty Hafan as well as being suited to a young woman.
Carmel says Douglas House was exactly what they were looking for. ‘When you come here they just look after her as Cat, they don’t treat her like an ill person. ’
Cat really looks forward to her visits to Douglas House.‘I like coming to Douglas House because I like the music room. I like the electric guitar, but I can’t play it as well as I used to; it’s hard to squeeze the strings.’ 
Cat goes on regular trips when she stays at Douglas House. One of her favourite places is the nail bar near to Douglas House, where she has her nails pampered and painted. When Carmel jokingly asks Cat why she has such beautiful nails, Cat smiles and says: ‘Because, I don’t do any work!’
Carmel and Phil like the fact that Cat is able to get out and about when she stays; ‘Nothing is too much trouble. Sometimes when they go out it is just her, sometimes a couple of them go out.’
Cat doesn’t get out much with friends when she is at home, because most of her childhood friends are now working away, or at university. It says a lot about Cat’s bubbly, likeable personality that many of her friends who are out in the world and independent still visit Cat at home and sometimes when she stays at Douglas House.
When asked what difference coming to Douglas House makes to the family, Carmel explains that for Cat it is a holiday, but that for her and her husband it means staying in the family flat and spending time with Cat, but also getting a break for themselves.
On one occasion the couple took the opportunity to visit London on their own and another time were able to visit Dublin to see Carmel’s mother and her father, who is not well, for her 50th birthday. This is something they would not have been able to do without knowing Cat was staying somewhere safe, caring and fun.
Carmel says: ‘It was strange leaving her behind, but we knew she was completely safe. They know Cat and they all look after her. She went into one of her 'episodes' when we were away and when we got here they were looking after her in exactly the way we had specified.’
‘As soon as I walk through this door I’m off duty. I know the buck stops with us at home. Care can be cancelled [at home] so you are always on duty in the back of your mind. You have to think about that all the time. But when I am here I completely switch off. I know I can see Cat, but I get a break.’
‘The biggest difference is that Cat gets a holiday and we get quality time together as a couple. We don’t really get to spend time together – just something simple like going out for lunch, or a walk. Here we can.’
