1 Jul 2026 Community

Romance at the Infirmary

Just weeks after celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, John and Val’s world changed forever. When Val suddenly became unwell, what followed was a heartbreakingly rapid journey that would lead them to The Kirkwood. It was a journey that, in many ways, brought their lives full circle; in her final days, the woman who had helped to shape the fledgling hospice movement here in West Yorkshire was finally surrounded by the same love, dignity, and compassion she had spent a lifetime championing for others

For John Double, love was something lived quietly and consistently, built day by day over a lifetime shared with his beloved wife, Val.

He and Val first met in January 1974 at a sisters’ post-Christmas party at the Leeds General Infirmary. John knew almost immediately that there was something special about her. Although her senior position at the hospital made her quite imposing, he summoned the courage to leave a note in her office the next day asking her out for a drink. What followed was a romance that moved with such breathtaking speed that even the local press took notice. They were engaged by February 8th and married on March 26th – less than three months after their first meeting. Their wedding even made the pages of the Yorkshire Post, whose headline dubbed it a ‘Romance at the Infirmary’.

John smiles as he reminisces, “People used to joke that it wasn’t a whirlwind romance; it was a tornado.”

While their beginning was swift, it was rooted in shared experiences and commitment to their loved ones. Both John and Val were lifelong carers for their siblings, a responsibility that defined their outlook on the world and brought them closer together. Val had dedicated herself to her brother, Kevin, who was blind with severe learning difficulties, and her sister, Hazel. John was equally devoted to his brother, Geoffrey. Before they met, both had assumed they might never marry because of these lifelong commitments.

“We realised we had this common ground, this shared compassion.” John explains.

Their compassion for their siblings was equally matched by their professional dedication to others. Val devoted her career to nursing, rising to senior leadership roles and helping to shape

healthcare services across the country. She was a real trailblazer, being appointed Ward Sister at just 22 (unheard of in the 1960s) and eventually becoming a Principal Nursing Officer.

He recalls with pride her role at King’s College Hospital in London, where she was part of the nursing team caring for the patient who underwent the UK’s first heart transplant.

“She always wanted to push herself and gain experience wherever she could.”

Despite holding senior roles and managing more than a thousand staff, John remembers her as a grounded and modest person: “She wasn’t flashy or showy,” he adds. “She was calm, capable and not afraid of making difficult decisions.”

Her path to Leeds was marked by her characteristic personality. During her interview, she was asked if she had ever visited the city. A staunch Birmingham City fan, she replied: “Oh yes, I am a big football fan! I've been to Elland Road!” Perhaps because of this (Val always thought it was what clinched her the role), she won over the panel, which happened to include the Chairman and Club Doctor of Leeds United.

While Val rose through the nursing ranks in her adopted home of Yorkshire, John spent four decades in cancer research, striving to improve treatment and outcomes for patients and families. Yet, despite their high-pressure roles, their home in Batley was their sanctuary – a place where they could pursue their pastimes, share their love of good food and wine, and enjoy the company of friends and family.

“We weren’t big holiday people.” says John. “Our home was what mattered to us. Evenings together, cooking, talking, that was the highlight of our day. After work, sitting down together for our evening meal, that was our time.”

Val’s influence on the hospice movement was profound and long-standing. In the late 1970s, she helped the Sisters of the Cross and Passion establish the original nursing structure for St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds. Through their professional lives, both she and John also became close with John Murgatroyd, The Kirkwood’s first Matron.

In March 2025, the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Val appeared well, and there was no hint of what lay ahead. But just weeks later, everything changed.

“It all happened so quickly,” John explains. “I knew she wasn’t very well, but I genuinely thought it was a bad infection. She’d been tired, but nothing that made me think this was too serious. We called the ambulance and had to wait a good while.

“When the CT scan showed she had advanced cancer, I remember thinking, ‘Oh, bloody hell, that’s the end.’”

Sadly, there were only a few short weeks between her diagnosis and her death. But the impact The Kirkwood team made on her quality of life has left a lasting mark on John.

After decades spent championing the hospice movement and supporting its development, it was that very same compassionate care that helped Val during her final days. After a distressing experience in an acute hospital ward where care felt distant and her symptoms were severe, the move to The Kirkwood brought a sense of relief.

“The difference was immediate,” John says. “At the hospital, you’d buzz for help and it wouldn't come. She came into The Kirkwood in a dreadful state, but the nursing team made her comfortable straight away. She was never in pain, not once.”

John spent as much time as possible by Val’s side whilst in our care, feeling a sense of calm he hadn’t found in hospital.

“The whole atmosphere was calm. If she needed anything, you pressed the button and someone came. There was always time to talk, always someone who knew what was going on. I felt supported as well.”

Val’s final days were peaceful. On her last day, she was resting comfortably.

“I remember thinking I’d go home briefly to sort myself out,” says John. “I left and she sadly died about ten minutes later. I sometimes think I could have stayed another ten minutes, but I’m reassured knowing that she wasn’t alone.”

It was what John describes as a ‘good death’. Dignified, peaceful, and supported by the attentive care they both valued throughout their careers.

In honour of their life together and their shared belief in the hospice movement, John and Val decided to leave a significant gift in their Will to The Kirkwood. This was a deliberate choice, rooted in their belief that a gift to a well-run local charity can be truly transformative.

“We didn't want the gift to be swallowed up; we wanted it to make a major difference,” John explains. “If you leave a legacy to a massive national charity, it’s a drop in the ocean. But to an organisation like The Kirkwood, one that is well-established and properly structured, it can change everything.

“Val and I knew that by leaving a gift to The Kirkwood, our support would have a real, lasting impact on the lives of local people.”

By leaving this sizeable legacy, John and Val have ensured that the dignity and reassurance they found at The Kirkwood will be there for the next family who needs it.

Looking back, John speaks with deep gratitude: “The Kirkwood gave Val dignity and comfort. They gave me reassurance at the worst moment of my life. I will always be thankful for that.”