Hospice Care Week
Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care (IRGH) is joining forces with hospices across the UK to launch the first ever Hospice Care Week.
From 8th to 14th October 2011, IRGH hopes to raise awareness of hospice care and address the misconceptions that people may have about what hospice care is.
Robert Breakwell, Chief Executive at IRGH said: “Hospice Care Week is an important opportunity to challenge the myths surrounding hospice care and show people that it is about living well for as long as possible, in the place of your choice.
“Our main objective is to eliminate unnecessary hospital admissions for our patients through our 24/7 call-out nursing care in patients' homes and the clinical care and emotional support offered in our day hospice.
“Many people think that IRGH only provides end of life care for terminally-ill patients, but we also support local families coping with life-limiting illness from diagnosis, through treatment and into remission.”
Hospice Care Week events
- On Saturday 8th October, Wycombe Wanderers are hosting a family fun day to celebrate their support for IRGH as part of the Help the Hospices partnership with the Football League. Support the partnership by texting WWFC11 to 70070 followed by your donation amount (£1,£2,£3, £4, £5 or £10) – 100% of your donations comes to IRGH and is deducted from your credit or added to your monthly bill.
- On Sunday 9th October, our annual Herts 10K takes place in Harpenden
- On Wednesday 12th October, 120 medical professionals will gather in Green Park Conference Centre at the IRGH annual conference
- During the week, we'll launch ‘Come Dine at Mine' – our own version of a national initiative backed by Help the Hospices. Call 01442 890222 for more details.
- The ‘one word challenge' will help break down some of the myths around hospice care…
One word challenge
To mark Hospice Care Week, hospices across the UK, including IRGH, are asking their local communities what hospice care means to them – in one word.
Robert explained: “Hospice care has different associations for different people – positive, challenging and sometimes very surprising. By asking people to choose just one word to represent what hospice care means to them, we are aiming to create a picture of what our work really means to our local community, and across the UK.”
‘Choice', ‘life', ‘laughter', ‘friends' and ‘home' are among the thought-provoking words that people have already sent in.
Patron Peter Drury
Peter, who has been a patron of IRHH since Iain Rennie nurses cared for his dad in 1996, said: “If I had to choose one word that hospice care means to me, it would be ‘life'. M y father was diagnosed with prostate cancer which, having been identified relatively late, had spread. He was told he had a year to live. He was referred to Iain Rennie and for him, the knowledge that help was just a phone-call away helped enormously. He would sometimes panic...but was always soothed and calmed by an Iain Rennie nurse - someone he knew he could trust.
“The same nurses, and the charity's Family Support team, allowed me to enjoy my relationship with Dad right up to the end...unencumbered by the messy "nuts and bolts" of dealing with his declining life. I was overcome with admiration for the Iain Rennie nurses and, I made a promise to myself (and my late father) that I would never forget what IRHH had done for us. My attachment to the charity means as much to me as anything in my professional life...and I take huge pride in the fantastic work that the superhuman Iain Rennie nurses continue to do.”
Get involved
Take part in Hospice Care Week…
- email the one word that encapsulates hospice care for you
- share your word with us on Facebook
- Tweet your word followed by #hospicecareweek
For more information on how to join the One Word Challenge and to find a Hospice Care Week event near you, visit www.besurprised.org.uk
6th October 2011
