Wife's tribute to Glasgow hospice after loss of 'childhood sweetheart'

The company director and keen actor, singer and musician, was a huge supporter of the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, including a willing participant in its glitzy Strictly-style fundraiser.

Peter Gough taking part in A Little Less Strictly for the hospice (Image: PPWH/JCooper)

“He really enjoyed that,” says his wife, Dawn, with a laugh. “He loved taking part. Peter and I and our group of friends would always support the hospice, on nights out, at different events.”

She pauses. “We never, ever thought we would one day be walking in here, needing the help it provides. It made us look at everything through different eyes.”

Peter and Dawn with their daughters Emily and Eilidh (Image: Dawn Gough)

Peter died in October, three and a half years after being diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 47. Donations at his funeral totalled almost £14,000, which the hospice says is an unprecedented amount for such a collection.

“Even some of the young kids who come along to the local group we are part of, Studio 32, gave us money, and that meant so much,” says Dawn, who lives in Thorntonhall, on the outskirts of East Kilbride. “It just showed how much Peter meant to them, what a difference he made in their lives.”

Now Dawn and her daughters Emily, 23, and Eilidh, 21, are preparing to support the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice's Light Up a Life ceremony on December 10.

Peter with his daughters Emily and Eilidh (Image: Dawn Gough)

The Goughs will join many families who have lost loved ones at the special service, and the Glasgow Times will publish the names of all who have donated later this month.

Dawn is supporting the Light Up A Life appeal in her husband's memory (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)

It was musical theatre which brought Dawn and Peter together.

“We were kids when we met, childhood sweethearts,” says Dawn, who is a fitness instructor. “We were both in the EK Rep panto in our home town of East Kilbride. I was 16.”

Dawn and Peter on their wedding day (Image: Dawn Gough)

Peter’s illness came “completely out of the blue”, says Dawn.

“He hadn’t been feeling 100 percent, nothing specific, but he was finding it hard to go to the toilet,” she adds. “He got it checked out and the doctors told him there was a blockage, and it was serious.”

Things happened quickly after that, recalls Dawn, as bowel cancer was confirmed and Peter had surgery and chemotherapy.

He recovered, but earlier this year, his health began to deteriorate. Tests confirmed the cancer had spread to his liver.

“He was so positive, though, always,” says Dawn. “We were both supposed to be performing in Sunshine on Leith in September, with our local group, Studio 32, and we just kept thinking it was still going to happen.”

She pauses. “Although, I think in my heart, I knew that he was getting sicker.”

Eventually, Peter was too ill to stay at home. Moving to the hospice was like “a weight lifting”, says Dawn.

“Everyone was so fantastic with him, with all of us – nothing was too much trouble,” she says. “It was such a relief, knowing he was getting the care he deserved, the care everyone deserves in that situation.”

After just a few short days in the hospice, Peter sadly died. Dawn and her daughters are determined to continue fundraising for the place which supported them through their darkest times.

“We are going to keep going,” nods Dawn. She pauses. “Some days it is hard, to do that,” she admits, her voice breaking. “But life goes on, and we have to live the best life we can.”

For more information on Light Up A Life, visit princeandprincessofwaleshospice.co.uk