We know it is helpful to people moving home to have an insight into the community they are looking to move into. So we have already started a series of postings about local schools, and we will be writing about other things including, on this occasion, a very deserving charity.
St
Christopher’s is the first modern hospice, founded by Dame Cicely
Saunders in 1967. They say that:
"Our vision is of a world in which all dying people and
those close
to them have access to appropriate care and support, when they need it,
wherever they need it and whoever they are."
 |
| Comedienne Jo Brand joined the recent Midnight Walk |
"We
care for around 650 people on any one day serving a population of over
1.5 million in the London boroughs of Southwark, Lewisham, Lambeth,
Bromley and
Croydon. Our services include palliative care from specialist doctors
and nurses, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work,
bereavement and psychiatric support, creative therapies, complementary
therapies and spiritual care. We also carry out extensive
research and education, training over 12,000 health and social care
staff a year."
"To continue these services costs £15 million each year, around £10 million of which must come from fundraising activities. The St Christopher’s Group comprises St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham and Harris HospisCare in Orpington."
We also asked for a few words from the people the hospice helps.
“I
feel safe, I love it. Before I came here it took me a while to accept
what was wrong. I was very frightened. When I came here all my fear
went, I completely
changed. You forget that you’re ill, it’s nice not to be thinking about
being ill. The only day that my family don’t worry about me is the day I
come here” (patient)
“I
have been lucky enough, following the death of my wife, to have
received bereavement counselling. I would just like to register my
thanks for your help
in easing me through a very difficult period of my life. Whilst my
grieving continues I now feel much better equipped to face all of my
tomorrows” (widow)
If you have any time to spare to raise money for a good cause, remember this one.
Harris Hospiscare website here, Facebook here, Twitter here
No comments:
Post a Comment