3 October 2011
Keech Hospice Care is joining forces with hospices across the UK to launch the first ever Hospice Care Week.
Between 8th and 14th October, Keech Hospice Care hopes to raise awareness of the services it provides and address the misconceptions that people may have about what hospice care is.
To mark Hospice Care Week, Keech is asking local people to sum up what hospice care means to them – in one word.
‘Choice’, ‘life’, ‘laughter’, ‘friends’ and ‘home’ are among the thought-provoking words that people have already sent in.
Mike Keel, CEO, said: “Hospice care has different associations for different people – positive, challenging and sometimes very surprising. By asking thousands of 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.”
Mike added: “People have the misconception that a hospice is just a place where people come to die. And that the death is usually due to cancer.
“Neither is true. Here at Keech Hospice Care, our ethos is about living, not dying.
“Whilst a hospice does provide end of life care, people are often surprised to find out we also care for many more people in their own homes, in day care and through counselling and family support.
“Our staff help adults in Luton and South Bedfordshire and children from across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes to live well until they die. Their families and friends are also included in our care.
For everyone who needs it, our care and support is provided free of charge, however, we have to find nearly £5m per year to provide this ‘free’ care. With just 25% coming from government and the NHS we can only continue to do this with the generous support of our local community. Gifts in Wills (legacies) make up around 10% of our income and are vital to help us safeguard the future of hospice services in the future. Legacies help us to give our patients the best quality of life possible in the time they have left – they deserve nothing less.nyone can get involved:
- join the Keech Hospice Care facebook page and submit the one word hospice care means to you
- email words@keech.org.uk with the one word that shows what hospice care means to you
- and for those who use Twitter, you can tweet one word during 8 to 14 October including the hashtag #hospicecareweek
A gallery of words will be collated and shared by all the hospices.
You can find out more by visiting www.besurprised.org.uk.
