St Luke’s
News2022Autumn Our new Community Night Care service yourBringinglaunchescaretodoor
I hope you enjoy reading our Autumn Newsletter. We are very pleased to have recently launched our ‘St Luke’s at Home’ Night Care service, and you can read all about this on page 16. From all of the teams at St Luke’s, a heartfelt thank you. Please get in touch if you wish to learn any more information about the work of the Hospice.
With my very best wishes,
Welcome
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How to contact us
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I am very mindful of the financial challenges we all face at present, so we certainly don’t take your donations and support for granted. Things are difficult, so any form of help you are able to give is much appreciated. Unfortunately, like all organisations, our costs are rising and we continue to strive for the best value with any of our expenditure, making good use of every £1 you kindly give us and aiming to enhance our care services to support the community as best we can.
lthough I have worked at the Hospice for 11 years now, I am still amazed and inspired by all the ways you continue to support us, it really is incredible! I am very lucky in my role to regularly meet with supporters or chat on the phone. Whatever your age or whatever you do, please know that it really does mean so much to know that you are there for St Luke’s.
Claire Claire Langston, Head of Fundraising
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St Luke’s Hospice, Grosvenor House, Queensway, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 1BH 551246 enquiries@slhospice.co.uk www.slhospice.co.uk
85% of St Luke’s funds come from people like you. That is quite amazing when you think it enables us to care for more than 120 local patients and their families each week, made possible only with your help!
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Claire Langston Head of Fundraising
Your continued support really does make a difference each day to local families and, whilst my clinical colleagues on the frontline provide their outstanding care, I hope our dedicated teams in the shops, fundraising and communications that I work alongside keep you up-to-date with the latest Hospice news and aims.
“The aim of the workshops is to offer a
safe and relaxed environment in which carers can share their problems, concerns or experiences with others who can relate to their situation. Our nurses will work with them to develop coping strategies and also offer practical advice and information to help maintain their own health and wellbeing.”
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To ensure carers are able to attend the course of workshops, we also invite the person with dementia to attend at the same time. They are cared for by dementia trained staff and volunteers in Day Hospice while their carer is at the Clareworkshop.Allman,
Sister in Day Hospice, explains: “We recognise that caring for a person with dementia can be challenging and stressful. Often a person does not see themselves as a carer, particularly if the person with dementia is a partner, parent or close friend. However, it is so important that they are getting the right support to sustain them in that vital caring role.
Each course of workshops runs for eight weeks and is limited to a small group of up to ten carers. It covers a range of topics such as financial and benefits advice, moving and handling, legal matters, advanced care planning and managing Carersstress.
CWorkshopsCarers’arersofpeoplewithdementiaarebeingofferedgreatersupportwiththelaunchofanewservicebyourDayHospice.
Weekly Dementia Carers’ Workshops are being held at the Hospice to allow carers to meet with others who are in similar situations, to share experiences and to provide them with practical advice and support from nurses.
For more information about our Dementia Carers’ Workshops please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/dementia or call Day Hospice on 01606 555681 for a friendly chat
Day Hospice staff and volunteers run the Dementia Carers' Workshops
can refer themselves or ask their GP, District Nurse, Social Worker or other healthcare provider to refer them.
Dementia
the care he received, Paul said: “It’s absolutely amazing, nothing is too much trouble. They are here for Kirsty and Jack too, they come and
To find out more about the services we offer including our Inpatient Unit, Day Hospice and Family Support please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/ourservices
Sadly, Paul died at the Hospice less than a month after the wedding. During his stay on our Inpatient Unit, Paul was determined to do all he could to raise awareness of hospice care and how St Luke’s helped him and his family in his final weeks, which is why his wife Kirsty has kindly allowed us to share their Describingstory.
30, added: “Paul’s my first love and I just wanted to marry him. The staff went totally out of their way, they got us a cake and put a big spread on. The ladies
The wedding was quickly arranged by staff at the Hospice after the couple shared their dream with nurses on the Inpatient SpeakingUnit.
Newlyweds Paul & Kirsty cut their cake watched by 3-year-old son Jack
Aterminally ill dad’s dream came true when he ‘completed’ his family by marrying his partner on our Inpatient Unit.
Paul Hughes from Crewe married Kirsty in an intimate service shared with their three-year-old son Jack and a small number of family and friends, on the weekend of the Platinum Jubilee.
in the kitchen were great, there’s nothing more we could have asked for, they just did everything to make it a special day.”
after the wedding Paul (43) said: “We just wanted to be married. It feels good, it’s completed the family now. That’s all we’ve ever wanted. Kirsty wanted my name as well, so we’ve all got the same surname now. It has completed “Ius.was quite poorly on the day but it was a really beautiful day. Kirsty put a nice summer dress on and Jack wore a bow Kirsty,tie.”
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Paul & Kirsty marry on Inpatient Unit
“I’ve not experienced this before but the hospice kind of went into a different gear, there were offers of help coming from every direction, from the kitchen staff who organised a surprise buffet and the Community team who organised flowers and a cake. For all the people who were in the Hospice supporting Paul and Kirsty, there were so many who weren’t working on the day but were thinking of them and supporting them too.”
check they’re both ok and the nurses play with Jack. He’s always asking them for ice cream!
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I’ve just never known a place to care so much somebody.aboutPaulHughes “ “
Makingelse.”.”precious
To help us support more families like Paul, Kirsty and Jack please consider giving a donation at www.slhospice.co.uk/donate
“Every single member of staff is amazing, so polite and welcoming. As soon as I came through the door, it just totally blew me out the water how nice they are. I wouldn’t have wished to go anywhere memories
Staff from a number of teams at the Hospice worked together to make Paul and Kirsty’s day special. Chris Moore from our Family Support team says it was an honour to help arrange their wedding:
“The Inpatient Unit called me one evening to make me aware that Paul and Kirsty wanted to get married at the Hospice, so I was able to think it through a little bit before I saw Paul the next day. The next morning, I spoke to Cheshire West Register Office and the Registrar and they were so responsive. None of us knew at this point how long we would have to arrange the wedding.
Making a Will is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your wishes are carried out and that your loved ones are provided for in the future, irrespective of your age or health.
It’s also a really kind thing to do, so that it is easier for your family or friends to sort everything out after your death. Without a Will, this process can be even more stressful and could take a lot longer.
making sure to mention St Luke's so that you are allocated the correct slot. Take care of the people you love and join us in making a Will this October.
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The suggested donation for a Will is £150 and money raised throughout the week will come directly to the Hospice, helping to support patient care.
To book an appointment please contact the participating solicitors directly,
Do you know that one in five of our patients is cared for by a gift in a Will?
Every gift in a Will, however large or small, will make a difference to the lives of local people living in Cheshire. To find out more visit: www.slhospice.co.uk/will or email andy.bailey@slhospice.co.uk to request our free guide.
any of us like to plan ahead, but some people find it difficult to think about what might happen at the end of their life, or after their death.
From 17th - 21st October, local participating solicitors have agreed to waive their entire fee for Will-making in return for a donation to St Luke's.
You can find a full list of participating solicitors
For more information about ‘Make a Will Week’ or leaving a gift in your Will to St Luke’s please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/will
www.slhospice.co.uk/willweekat:YourGift,OurFuture
Enter our Winter Winner Raffle online at www.slhospice.co.uk/winterwinnerorcall01606553553 7 Make this a Christmas to remember with our new Winter Winner Raffle and be in with a chance of winning £2,000! For just £1 a ticket, our raffle is a fun and simple way to raise money for our Hospice and could win you some BIG cash prizes. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning this Christmas, please return your raffle tickets in the envelope provided or send to: St Luke’s Winter Winner Raffle St Luke’s Hospice Promotions Ltd. Grosvenor CW7Queensway,HouseWinsford1BH Alternatively, you can enter online now at: www.slhospice.co.uk/winterwinner 84p from the sale of each ticket goes directly to patient care, 10p is used for prizes and 6p is used for administration costs. £2,000 Grand Prize £1,000 second prize £500 third prize And 15 runners up prizes of £10 Terms and conditions: The raffle will take place on Friday 9th December 2022 as part of our weekly Lottery draw, with the prize structure changing for that week only to the prizes listed on the raffle tickets. There is also the chance to win our Rollover Jackpot which is a minimum of £200. The likelihood of winning a prize is a 1 in 2,365 chance, however the patients and families we care for win with every £1 ticket bought. (Average figures based on Christmas raffle 2021).
Supporting families
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Our counselling service is there to support patients, carers and families as they navigate their way through the mixture of emotions that come with a life-limiting illness or the death of a loved one.
Helen Summers explains: “It is lovely that the majority of our counselling is face-to-face once again and, as a result of Covid, we are now offering telephone and video counselling as well so our clients can choose which option, or
For more information about our family support and counselling service please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/familysupport
combination of options, suits them best.
“Our bereavement support groups for both adults and children are growing. Around 50 people regularly attend our adult bereavement groups, while the children's group has been made into a term-time programme which supports between four and eight children at a Thetime.”counselling rooms at the Hospice have recently been refurbished to offer a calm and tranquil space and the team has also expanded to meet the growing demand on services.
The Family Support and Counselling Team currently supports more than 125 adults and children in the local area with one-to-one counselling, with the majority seen either at the Hospice or at Teamhome.manager
Helen adds: “We have been delighted to welcome Alex to the team earlier this
Pictured left: Meet the team (left to right) Helen Summers, Jess Fitt, Susie Griffiths, Alex Collins and Vicky Atherton.
who is now a full-time carer for his daughter who has special needs, initially started the counselling sessions via video call but now attends the Hospice for face-to-face counselling.
“If anyone else is unfortunate enough to be in a similar situation then don’t hesitate to seek help. Try it because there is a light at the end of tunnel.”
Howard from Crewe was referred for counselling with St Luke’s following the death of his wife Deborah two years ago.
year, and more recently Vicky who brings a lot of experience working with children and young people. However, we are only able to achieve this level of support thanks to the dedication of ten fully qualified volunteer counsellors, and ten volunteer bereavement support workers, who give their time, experience and care with huge commitment and generosity.”
The Family Support and Counselling service is always looking to recruit more volunteers. If you are interested please contact Helen Summers or Chris Moore on 01606 551246.
The 66-year-old had never considered counselling but says he is now so grateful that the service was available to him.
To help us support more people like Howard please consider giving a donation at www.slhospice.co.uk/donate
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Our counselling rooms have been refurbished to create a calming space.
He explains: “We knew that my wife was dying and I was prepared, so I never thought it would affect me the way it did. I thought I had three months left with her and it turned out to be three weeks and it just threw me. Fortunately a nurse recognised that and referred me to St Luke’s.
help but once I started to receive the counselling it made me realise how much I Howard,did."
He added: “It was very hard, especially the first few sessions, but now I talk and talk and feel very comfortable. It still hurts but the counselling has really helped me and I’m so grateful for the support.
"I'm so grateful" for counselling
"I genuinely thought I didn’t need any
It’s not all work, work, work!
Could your workplace support St Luke's? Find out more at www.slhospice.co.uk/corporate-fundraising10
St Luke’s wouldn’t be what it is without the support of local businesses and we are so very grateful to them. Here are just some of the workplaces that have supported St Luke’s over the last few months...
Back to Business
11Could your workplace support St Luke’s? Check out the different ways you can help at www.slhospice.co.uk/corporate-fundraising
“
had been off the menu for her for
Joan Dowling ‘thrived’ during emergency respite stay on Inpatient Unit
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78-year-old Joan Dowling from Middlewich spent a month at the Hospice following a diagnosis of terminal cancer of the peritoneum. Her daughter Cassie says her mum thrived during that
"Shetime.
She had an amazing month and I never want to forget that.
“She was like a different person, she was engaged and engaging and she felt safe. At home she didn’t always feel up to seeing people but at St Luke’s she wanted to show family and friends where she was staying and how happy she was
A
“there.Food
Mum felt so safe
“She definitely thrived, she was back to her old self. The doctors and nurses were managing her condition, but in a way in which she felt in control which was so important to her. The nurses were so considerate and caring, they made sure we were kept informed and I felt very Sadlyinvolved.”Joan died at home a short time after leaving St Luke’s. Cassie said: “I am just so grateful to St Luke’s for the wonderful care she received. She had an amazing month and l never want to forget that.”
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a long time, she was perhaps eating just one jelly a day, but all of a sudden she was showing an interest in food and telling me what she’d had for lunch or tea.
n important part of the care provided by our Inpatient Unit is emergency respite care and help with pain and symptom control to give patients the best quality of life possible.
had a room with other ladies who she felt she could talk to because they were all in the same boat. They were cracking jokes and she really built a rapport with them. She was even passing notes to a patient in another room like they were at school!
To help us support more people like Joan please consider giving a donation at www.slhospice.co.uk/donate
‘Food for the soul’
even if they just have a go for an hour. It’s so lovely when a patient enjoys it and feels like they have achieved something.
We people who wish to volunteer their time. Please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/volunteer
have lots of opportunities for
“I know how to make things fun and how to help people enjoy painting,
for more information 13
“I absolutely love volunteering at the Hospice. I see first-hand the wonderful work that goes on in Day Hospice and how they enrich patients’ lives – and their carers. People think a hospice is all doom and gloom and about end of life care, but it’s not – it’s food for the soul!”
60-year-old Anita Kennedy from Crewe has taken part in Kate’s art sessions while attending Wellbeing Days. She said: “I have really enjoyed it. I didn’t want to try painting at first but Kate’s a good teacher and I have found it so relaxing.”
The weekly art sessions are a popular part of Wellbeing Days in Day Hospice, offering patients some ‘time out’ to relax and express themselves through Katepainting.Munro from Davenham gives up her time every week to run the session and loves the time she spends with patients. She said: “Sometimes expressing your thoughts and feelings can be difficult but art can help you to do this. Art really does have so many psychological, emotional and physical benefits.
With restrictions easing, we were delighted to welcome our art volunteers back into Day Hospice.
So far the Cameron children have raised over £2,000 in donations and plan to add to that amount in the future!
Meet cousins Bella & William, aged 4 and 7, some of our youngest and most enthusiastic Throughoutfundraisers.
The cousins aced the challenge and raised over £100 for the Hospice, with Bella even going the extra miles and beating her 30 mile target!
Siblings Nancy (12), Hugo (10) and Molly (7) Cameron have created a charity enterprise, known as ‘Cameron Kids Candy Company’, to raise funds for our Hospice.
Nancy, Hugo and Molly
March this year, the pair took on the ‘Race at Your Own Pace’ challenge in memory of their grandad.
It all started with the children investing the pennies they had found on streets and parks over the year into purchasing sweets and then reselling them to raise funds for St Luke’s.
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Cameron Kids Candy Company
William & Bella on a visit to the Hospice
From sweet stalls to wing walks, and everything in betweeen, our community fundraising heroes know no bounds when it comes to raising money for St Luke's!
We are so lucky that across the generations we have so many fundraisers all sharing one goal – to support our Hospice! So many of you offer your support and we wish we could highlight each and every one of you, but here are just a few of our ‘fundraising heroes’ who help us to keep caring for local families, including the youngest and the young at heart...
Bella & William
Community heroes
Do you know that 85% of St Luke's funds come from the community? That's why we appreciate your support so very much!
Vera’s real fundraising highlights involve her daring adventures in the sky. She first took to the air in 2017 for a sky dive followed by another sponsored skydive in 2021. In June she was back in the air again, this time for a wing walk! Vera's exploits have raised over £14,000 for the Hospice since 2007 - magnificent!
The Malams are keen supporters of St Luke’s and annually organise their own plant sale from their front garden.
A popular figure in her home town, Jo has helped to raise over £2,000 in donations to the Hospice this year.
Thank you to everyone who raises money for St Luke's, the Hospice simply wouldn't be here without your support.
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Vera Rogers
Jo Tilley from Crewe is another local fundraising legend who this summer has been holding her own open garden to help support St Luke’s.
If you would like to raise money for St Luke's then give our Community Team a call on 01606 555697 or email community@slhospice.co.uk
John & Hilary Malam
Jo Tilley at her open gardens
Jo Tilley
John & Hilary Malam
Over the last three years, John and Hillary have raised more than £3,000 for patient care.
Vera pictured with fellow wing walker Nurse Julie Rarity (right)
Vera Rogers at the impressive age of 85 has supported St Luke’s since our records began, taking part in the Midnight Walk an incredible 10 Howevertimes!
This year the event was so popular that the whole street became involved, helping to raise important funds for the Hospice.
to launch our new Community Night Care service in the summer, extending our support to patients and carers in their own homes overnight.
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Q. How does the Night Care service
Emma:work?
Our aim is to help people to stay in the comfort of their own homes with their loved ones for as long as possible, to provide support for their carer and to help reduce emergency hospital admissions.
Health Care Assistant Emma Taylor
For more information about our new Community Night Care service please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/athome
We caught up with ‘St Luke’s at Home’ Health Care Assistants Emma Taylor and Karen Eyes to find out more about the Community Night Care service and the feedback they are receiving from families:
“We stay with the patient all night in their own home from 10pm to 8am, and we’re there to allow their family member to get some undisturbed sleep while we care for the patient overnight helping them with medication, pain management, repositioning them or helping them go to the toilet. Sometimes they just want to talk – you build up a rapport very quickly with the patient and I love listening to their stories.
A hard day’s
We know just how challenging and exhausting it can be to care for a loved one with a palliative condition 24/7, and this vital new service allows a carer to get a much needed night’s sleep while one of our experienced health care assistants supports the patient overnight.
Karen: “Carers are in that role full time, 24/7, often on their own and if they can get a good quality night’s sleep then they can cope better the next day. They’re having broken night’s sleep because they’re constantly listening out or checking on their loved one, some are only getting 2 to 3 hours sleep a night.
Wnighteweredelighted
Karen Eyes has worked on our Inpatient Unit since 2016 and is now supporting our Community Night Care Service
As
“We’ve met some lovely people, I think that’s the thing for me, you get to support the family as well as the patient. It can be the wife, the daughter or grandson and they’re just so grateful that they can go to sleep that night without worrying. That’s the nice part of the job really, knowing we’re making such a difference to the whole family.”
with all our services, Night Care is completely FREE for patients and their carers. If you are able, we would really appreciate donations to help us to support more people in their own homes overnight - people like John and Joyce who you can read about on the next page. One night of care costs £102.56 but any donation will make a difference, for example... To make a donation please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/nightcareappeal or return the form overleaf, thank you.
Q. What has the feedback been from Emma:families?
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If you would like to support our new Community Night Care service by making a donation towards its running costs please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/nightcareappeal
They need unbroken sleep and it’s so nice to be able to give families that.”
Everyone is so grateful and I know I am in the right place doing the right job, making a Emmadifference.Taylor“ “Can
Karen: “You don’t realise how needed this service is. People want to stay at home for as long as possible and not everyone wants to go into hospital or a hospice. If we can help enable that for as long as we can then that’s an amazing thing that we can do for people. If they have a good support network during the day, then this service helps people to manage and they can stay at home.” you help?
John and Joyce Beech from Wistaston were among the first to benefit from the new service. 83-year-old Joyce explains: “We had not had any night care before so I didn’t know how I felt about it, but I did feel that I needed help. I was very tired.
Our Community Night Care service may have only been running for a short time but it is already making a big difference.
“He’s my husband of 58 years and I know that time’s running out so I want to do as much as I can myself, but there are times when you definitely need help and it enabled me to get some sleep and made me feel better. As a carer you find the strength and I’ve been happy to do it - till death do us part.”
“Karen came, she was very pleasant and helpful and John only had to stir and she was there. I feel that John was a lot more relaxed as there was someone other than me to help him. She was there when I needed her, so we benefited
18Karen was there when I needed her...
To help us support more people like John and Joyce please consider making a donation to our Night Care Service at www.slhospice.co.uk/nightcareappeal
greatly from it. John felt it took the onus off me as there was someone else there to help, so it was excellent.
Sadly John died at home, with Joyce by his side, shortly before this Newsletter went to print. Joyce said: “Every day together was gold and the hours like diamonds, as valuable as anything on earth.”
Do you know that St Luke's Lottery pays for the care of ONE in every FIVE patients? stlukescheshireStLukesHospicestlukescheshirehospice T 01606 551246 E enquiries@slhospice.co.uk www.slhospice.co.uk Grosvenor RegisteredCheshireQueensway,House,Winsford,CW71BHCharityNo.515595 Join our Lottery today! Plus for just £1 a week you could win a weekly jackpot of £1,000 or a Rollover jackpot of up to £5,000! It's win-win! www.slhospice.co.uk/lottery
