Isabel Hospice, based in Welwyn Garden City, has launched an appeal raising money to help fund its Hospice at Home service over the Christmas period and enable patients to spend Christmas at home with their loved ones.
The Hospice at Home nurses provide palliative and end of life care to patients in the comfort of their own homes and are out in the community every day supporting local families.
Lea Van Der Niet, lead Hospice at Home nurse at Isabel Hospice commented: “Our visits often give both patients and families a lot of reassurance and enable families to spend more quality time together. And family is never more important than at Christmas-time.
"Sadly, for some of our patients, this Christmas may be their last.”
“That’s why it’s so important that Isabel Hospice are able to grant the wish that many of our patients have – to be cared for at home, surrounded by family and friends.”
The Home For Christmas Appeal features the story of Valerie Chinsky, who was cared for by the Hospice at Home team in the final days of her life.
Valerie’s daughter Susannah said: “I spoke to the hospice on Christmas Eve and they said as soon as a window opened up they would come out to us. They came on Christmas morning and it was honestly the best Christmas present I’ve ever had in my life.
“They gave us back our Christmas Day, supported us all when we were at our lowest and were so wonderful with Mum. To have that last Christmas with Mum was such an extraordinary gift, and I can’t put into words how much that means to us.”
Conor Williams, senior individual giving officer at Isabel Hospice, added: “Our care is provided free of charge, and the happy memories of a Christmas at home with their loved one that our nurses can help families make are priceless. But operating our service is not without cost. It costs £12,780 to keep our Hospice at Home service running over the Christmas period.”
“We hope our amazing community will come together to support the great work our Hospice at Home team does, particularly at this time of year, by donating to the Home for Christmas Appeal.”
Anybody wishing to learn more about how to support the Home for Christmas Appeal should visit www.IsabelHospice.com/HomeForChristmas or call the Isabel Hospice Supporter Care Team on 01707 954 850.
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