“As long as we have a heartbeat, we’ll support Weldmar in memory of Josh”: Toni and Mark’s Story
18th September 2025
< BACK TO NEWSIt was the unimaginable news no parent ever wants to hear. A son who lived life to the full, who was a beloved teacher and a talented sportsman, being given a shock diagnosis of a terminal illness.
Josh Lawrence was 34 years old when he passed away at home in Sherborne, in April 2025, with parents Toni and Mark by his side. Josh had been in the care of Weldmar’s Specialist Hospice at Home Service for six weeks.
We met with Toni, to discover more about the difference Weldmar made during that difficult time, and their motivation for continuing to support for the charity, for which they have helped raise almost £15,000.
“When our darling son was diagnosed, it was the biggest shock ever,” says Toni. “He had visited the doctor because of a pain in his shoulder, and was told that with treatment, he could expect to live for no more than two years. Without treatment, it would be just two weeks.”
What made the news seem impossible to believe was that Josh seemed in the prime of his life. A talented cricketer, he came through the ranks at Surrey and played the game all over the world. He also loved his football.
Following his diagnosis and treatment, Josh moved back home, where he spent the last eleven months of his life. “The three of us loved each other to bits. He was a really wonderful and kind person. I thought that anyway, but after receiving 420 cards and letters, and over 600 people attending his funeral at Sherborne Abbey, we realised just how special Josh was to everyone and all the lives he touched.”
Taking the fear away
Josh’s wish was to be at home, away from any suggestion of a clinical environment. “I made the phone call when he said he was ready,” Toni recalls. “The first person from Weldmar to arrive was Emma, and as soon as she said hello, I felt safe and calm. She just took the fear away from me at that moment.”
Emma, a Weldmar Community Nurse, part of the charity’s Specialist Hospice at Home North Hub and based at Sherborne’s Yeatman Hospital, also recalls that first meeting with Toni. “When I first arrived, Toni said she couldn’t think about it, and couldn’t talk about it. Mark and Josh both wanted to talk, but not Toni. She said, ‘I don’t know if I can do this’. But she did. With our support, she found the inner strength to face it, and was incredible.”
Over the following weeks, Toni says the family got to know the locally based Weldmar Specialist Hospice at Home team, and the wider support network including district nurses and the local community rehab team. “They all arrived with smiles on their faces. You felt that they were always there for you.” They provided comfort and reassurance, even remembering the names of Josh’s girlfriend Emily, and friend David. This kindness, Toni says, “sounds silly but it meant a lot.”
An unexpected approach to care
One day, when the family needed help late at night, they remembered the advice that was given at the end of every visit – to make a call to the 24 Hour Advice Line. “It was the most traumatic phone call,” says Toni, “but the person at Weldmar who answered was so calm and reassuring and just took the stress away.”
Toni admits she expected medical expertise from the hospice team but was overwhelmed by their compassion. “I had no idea about the kindness that came with it. The love and the support that we were given was just incredible.”
The team’s guidance helped the family navigate difficult decisions, like suggesting a special airbed to keep Josh more comfortable. “Emma led the way, very gently,” says Toni. “I still laugh thinking about how they all got that bed into the room upstairs!”
Josh passed away peacefully on a Sunday evening at home, with Toni and Mark by his side, just as he had wished. “The help and the love we got from the team was unbelievable. We were all looked after beautifully.”
Creating a legacy in Josh‘s name
It was the AJ Wakely, the undertakers, who suggested setting up an online fundraising page in Josh’s name, and with the Treasured Memory Tribute Fund set up, Toni and Mark encouraged family and friends to make donations instead of sending flowers. “It’s very simple, and very user friendly. You can put photos on, and share stories and memories. Recently I added a message to say how much I was missing Josh. You can remember him on his birthday and at Christmas.”
Toni and Mark say they will be forever grateful for the love and kindness which has been shown to them in the wake of this devastating time.

“We started out saying it would be nice to raise a thousand pounds,” says Toni. “And here we are at almost £15,000.” Friends and family have rallied around the fund, with university friends holding a football match, others getting together to complete a 10k run, and Josh’s girlfriend, Emily, preparing for the London Marathon. A ‘Parents vs Teachers’ cricket match at the school where Josh taught has been renamed in his memory.
Toni says the outpouring of support has been “heartwarming but heartbreaking.” The fundraising, she explains, has given her and Mark a way to move forward. “It really keeps us going. We’re planning a big golf day next year. I want to carry on supporting Weldmar forever. As long as I have a heartbeat, I will.”
No one knows what it’s like until you’re in this dreadful situation. The care – to get you from where you are to what you know is going to come – is where Weldmar have been fantastic.
How to create a Treasured Memory Tribute Fund in memory of a loved one
It is easy to set up, and you can share their story, and your treasured memories of them
Click hereRemember a loved one on our Memory Tree
A beautiful installation at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester
Click hereOur sincere thanks to Toni and Mark for their continued support of Weldmar Hospicecare, and to Toni for sharing her story.
If you would like to share your experiences of Weldmar, to help others understand the difference that the charity’s care can make, please contact james.oneill@weld-hospice.org.uk