FROM THE CHAIRMAN St Wilfrid's has now been providing a Hospice service for cancer patients for just over a year and so it is perhaps timely to comment briefly on the progress in that period. There is much to be found that is remarkable and fpr which we are immensely grateful. From personal observation and from what patients, relatives and visitors tell us, it is clear that the standards of care achieved are of a very special quality. Many factors contribute to this, but first and foremost, the credit must go to the exceptional skills, the sense of dedication and the personal qualities of the staff of all disciplines. I am sure that you would wish to join the Directors in expressing heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of them. They have a difficult and often stressful job to do and deserve all the encouragement and support we can give them. There is great delight at the promise of a donation of £200,000 to extend the Hospice. This magnificent gift will enable us to increase the number of beds and to provide other facilities. such as a Chapel of Rest which, although wanted at the outset, could not then be afforded. Further information about the new plans should be ready in time for the next newsletter. Laurie lhefaur
PROFILE - STAFF NURSE PENNY SPENCE Penny trained as an SRN at The Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, qualifying in I 966. Sixteen years ago she moved back to Chichester and until starting work at St Wilfrid's in January 1987, worked as a Staff Nurse at the Royal West Sussex Hospital. Penny is married to Bill (alias Ivagotta Hangover) and they have three daughters. The Spence , family live in a beautiful cottage in Singleton which they have spent the last 2 years renovating. "' Penny was one of the wardrobe mistresses for Cinderella and also one of the St Wilfrid's team who completed the 25-mile RMP March last year. She says that her first year at the Hospice has been one of the most rewarding working years of her life.
NEW ARRIVALS To Doctor Alison Hughes and her husband, Dr Iain Morrison, a son - Matthew Iain, 27th-January. To Nurse Jonathan Aburrow and his wife Sally a daughter - Stephanie Alison. 9th February. 7., • '• This makes Matron a grandmother' To Dr Lacey's daughter and her husband. Diane and Nicholas Churchill, a son - Peter Joseph. 8th January. And Dr Lacey a grandfather! To MaureenJoyce's daughter and her husband, Helen and David Milverton, a son -James. 4th February.
CONGRATULATIO NS! To Richard Cook of-the Stockbridge Ro�tl Post Office, who recently won the 1987 ·Newsagent of the Year Award'. The award is promoted by the Observer series of newspapers and Richard was voted in by Observer readers. Richard and his wife Denise have been at the Post Office for 3 years and have lived in the Chichester area for 18 years. They supply our patients' newspapers, stock the kiosk shop and give us invaluable support in the specialised post office field. We are most grateful to them, and wish Richard and Denise and their two children. Grainne aged 9 and Alisdair aged 7, every success in I 988. AND TO ALL OUR LOCAL SHOPS - Thank you for your continuing support to the Hospice.
IN MEMORY OF REG My father, Reg Dellbridge, recently afflicted with cancer, was admitted to the Hospice on Thursday 11th February 1988. He thought it was a wonderful place. "They're treating me like royalty." he said. "I feel like a King. Is it because I'm your father?" "No, Dad," I said, "They treat everybody like that." He died in the early hours of Monday 15th February. Thank you all for your love and support. •
Gill Plowman, Bursar•
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