St Luke's NEWS
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“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” Issue No 76, Winter 2018 - NIV 2 Corinthians 9:15 St Luke’s Hospice, Fobbing Farm, Nethermayne, Basildon, Essex SSN16 5NJ EWS STel: 0126t8 524 973L www.stulukeshokspice.coem Re’gistsered C harity No. 289466 From the Editor … Dear Reader , inside this edition of St. Luke’s News you should have received one of our 2018 Christmas Appeal Envelopes. We want to thank Barbara for sharing her story below and hope that it inspires you to support our Heart 2018 Christmas Appeal so we can do more to help patients like Barbara. Please Partnership donate today using the envelope enclosed or alternatively you can donate securely Project Fundraising update Fun Dementia page 4 & 5 by debit or credit card using the donation button on the home page of our website page 3 Support Light Up www.stlukeshospice.com or by telephoning us on 01268 524 973. Thank you! page 6 a Life page 8 St. Luke’s Hospice has helped me, please help them to help others Sharing her story in support of our Christmas Appeal But I needn’t have worried. is one of our Day Hospice patients, Barbara Sheard. Since being in Hospice Barbara is a widow, mother of 2 sons and has 2 care I have received so grandchildren aged 12 and 14. She was diagnosed with much support which has made a big difference to cancer in October 2016. Six months of chemo followed during which me. The side effects of Chemotherapy were time she relocated to Basildon to be cared for by her son. When causing me a problem with walking, so I had acupuncture which has treatment was finished she was referred to St. Luke’s Hospice. helped a lot. I have learned to relax and through counselling sessions Barbara explains “When my treatment finished I felt I was sort of realised just how much emotion I was holding back which was making me left in ‘limbo’. I had been told that my condition was stable, and anxious and affecting my ability to make decisions and talk to my family that I was now on palliative care. I found this all very vague and about my future. Through counselling I have found ways to express myself, frightening – a lot had changed in my life over the previous year. I had my feelings and emotions in ways that make me communicate more easily a lot of life changing decisions to make, including where I was to live, with my family without us all getting too upset. Being able to spend time as well as coping with my health care needs. with people who understand and the opportunity to make new friends and Being new to pick up hobbies as well as knowing I have 24/7 Hospice support from Basildon, aside OneResponse when I am home is such a reassurance and comfort, not from my family, just for me but also for my family. I am so grateful from the bottom of my I didn’t know heart and appreciate all that the Hospice has done and continues to anyone and my do for me. I feel confident and more like ‘my old self’ – I now have failing health plans - I am looking forward to moving to my own new home locally affected my and spending time with family and new friends. mobility and Please will you help make a difference to the people who are in general well-being. St. Luke’s Hospice care by making a donation this Christmas, When I turned up at St. Luke’s Hospice on that first day in June ensuring that they are able to continue to provide the very best 2017 I was very apprehensive, not knowing what to expect. treatment to people just like me.” Become a Social Media Friend If you enjoy receiving news about St. Luke’s Hospice why not join our many ‘Social Media’ friends – It’s a great way to find out about what’s going on at the Hospice without having to wait for the next edition of St. Luke’s News and also a great way for you to give us feedback. Our Social Media platforms can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram facebook.com/stlukeshospicebasildonthurrock • twitter.com/StLukesHospiceB • on Instagram under stlukeshospiceb Newsletter for friends and supporters of St. Luke’s Hospice (Basildon and Thurrock) For editorial content information contact Marilyn DeBattista (Head of Revenue Development PR & Marketing) tel: 01268 524973 or e-mail [email protected] group to support those recently bereaved in reactivating their social life and getting support from others who had been bereaved. They are Trudy’s Diary also great supporters of the In October I was Hospice, having raised thousands delighted to join of pounds for us over the years. up with our My photo shows the ladies with Fundraiser Kerry, their very important ‘other halves’ at the start of our thank you, Lyn, Val and Jan for all your hard work and support of Luke’s to Luke’s St. Luke’s Hospice. Walk event. Finally, I recently had a surprise The Walk began at the meeting with a very dear friend of Hospice, went through mine, June. June and her Langdon Hills Country husband, Aubrey, have been long Park to our St. Luke’s term supporters of St. Luke’s. Many a time House in Corringham, a June has joined me in a rain-swept town distance of 5 miles. Here the walkers centre helping to raise funds for St. Luke’s. found a welcome drink and a cream tea. So, it seemed very fitting when June Once rested, those energetic enough, knocked on my door to hand over a cheque began the long walk back to the for the Hospice that it was pouring with rain. Hospice. A total distance, there and back, of ten miles. Each walker carried a yellow My photo shows June and myself, under an balloon on which, if they wished, they could write the name umbrella, with the donated cheque – it was of the person or persons they were remembering. It was a just like old times. lovely and very special way for people to remember their The donation was from Andy Potts, one of loved ones. June’s neighbours who is a regular donor to Over 200 walkers took part and I want to say a big ‘thank the Hospice. Thank you, Andy and thank you, you’ to each and every one of them for their support. June, for being such a good sport and having Congratulations must also go to Kerry and her team of helpers your photo taken in the rain. for being ‘spot on’ in the organisation of the Walk. Well done ! As I write Christmas will be fast approaching. May I wish you all a I hope ‘Luke’s to Luke’s Walk’ will become a permanent part of the very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Happy New Year. Hospice fundraising calendar of events – it’s a wonderful way to celebrate and support the work of the Hospice. Another event I attended earlier this year was the 10th anniversary of Stepping Forward based in Billericay. Lyn Wilson and two of her Trudy Westmore-Cox friends, Val and Jan, with support from the Hospice, began their St. Luke’s Hospice Co-founder & Patron. Supporting local people whatever Statistics demonstrate that their circumstance homelessness in the UK has increased by *132% since 2010 St. Luke’s Hospice’s VERVE and there are inequalities in diversity project aims to ensure awareness of end of life care that all in our local community for those people who are have equal access to homeless. With winter information about end of life coming, the Hospice is care planning and end of life responding to the growing care. VERVE is a multiagency group and need to raise awareness includes representatives from a diversity of around end of life care for religious groups, learning disability agencies, the homeless. the Clinical Commissioning Group, St. Luke’s staff have been Foodbanks, the Police, the Transgender attending the Basildon Homeless working group community and many more, inclu ding with a view to offering support on a weekly basis to people who St. Mungo’s outreach workers. attend the local night shelters. *(www.qni.org.uk). 2 To become a Hospice Volunteer telephone our Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01268 524973 or visit the volunteer section on www.stlukeshospice.com Heart Partnership Project update by Claire Coyne, Heart Failure Clinical Nurse Practitioner at St. Luke’s Hospice Many heart failure patients struggle with fluid retention We are six months into the Heart as their disease progresses Partnership Project and I am pleased to and may have multiple say it is getting busy! We have a case hospital admissions as a load of 28 patients at the moment. Through consequence. We are the project they are now engaging and enjoying the committed to helping those services available to them at the Hospice, such as with this distressing Advance Care Planning and the palliative care heart symptom and hope to have failure clinic which is run by Dr Piggott and myself. an intra venous furosemide clinic running in the Day The 9 week Targeted Support Group finished in Hospice in the near future. September. It was a small group but those who attended showed significant improvement in their quality of life. One gentleman A second heart failure study day has been held due to the very reported that he enjoyed being able to share his experiences with positive feedback from the first study day.