IT WAS was one of the few moments Judith Cox saw her terminally ill husband smile towards the end.

When John Cox could hear the rattle of the “Jolly Trolley” coming down the corridor he would smile, knowing that the fellow patients of palliative unit could have a small escape from their illness.

The “Jolly Trolley”, name by The Macmillan Unit patients, is a trolley of alcohol which enables patients to have one or two alcoholic beverages with their evening meals.

The unit which is situated at Christchurch Hospital offers care for patients with any advanced, progressive, incurable illness with difficult symptoms or problems.

“Unfortunately these people are not going to get any better - they are coming to the end of their lives.

“So a small drink can be a great comfort, delight or distraction for someone,” said the widow.

John was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2008 and very quickly the doctors realised that it would be terminal.

Although he underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the BT engineer died in 2010 – six months after he married his partner of ten years.

“I didn’t find John until later in life, but he was my world – he was my everything,” said Judith who lives in Ringwood.

Since then widow has collected alcohol for the unit every year in January, so that the patients can have something a little stronger to drink in the evening.

The facility relies on donations in January, that then last the whole all year.

John was fond of a drink and often visited the Star and Lamin Pub in Ringwood for his favourite drink, Ringwood Best Bitter.

“It made John smile, to get a smile in the palliative unit is very special, you don’t get them often.”

Judith has been collecting donations for six year, however this will be the last year that John’s wife will collect donations as she feels that she has drained all of her resources.

“I love doing it, but I feel like I have asked every person I can ask.

“So I think its time that someone else took over,” she said.

Donations can be dropped to The Star Pub, The Lamb Inn and the Bickerley Garage in Ringwood.