Hospice Care Week kicks off today with more than 100 hospices throughout the UK joining forces with national charity Help the Hospices to highlight the inspiring and personal way that hospice care helps patients living with terminal illness add life to days.
Hundreds of people, including celebrities, have posted pictures in the online photo gallery of themselves holding up signs saying ‘I am hospice care’, to reflect the community theme and pledge their support.
The awareness week hopes to bring to life how many different people get involved with and receive hospice care.
More than 100 local hospices are joining forces with national charity Help the Hospices to celebrate Hospice Care Week.
The campaign’s theme this year is ‘Be surprised, hospice care is for everyone’, highlighting how hospices support people from all corners of their community – whoever they are, wherever they are and whatever their illness.
Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham has also praised the campaign, saying:
“I think many people would be surprised by the number of families helped by hospices all over the UK, like Florence Nightingale Hospice in my local town Aylesbury. Hospice Care Week is a great way to highlight the work of hospices all over the country and raise awareness of the vital help and support they give to so many people, from all walks of life, in their time of need.”
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices, said: “Hospice care is not about buildings. It is about people and communities – from the people who support and work in partnership with their local hospices, to the patients, friends and families who rely on them. Together, we are all hospice care.
“Across the UK, hospices are coming together for Hospice Care Week to raise awareness of how they reach out to communities and help people to live well before they die.”
Find out more and get involved in the ‘I am hospice care’ activity at www.besurprised.org.uk (#hospicecareweek) and keep visiting hospice every day this week for more Hospice Care Week
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Hospice care week is timed to coincide with World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice care throughout the world, taking place on October 13. ehospice will also feature stories about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day across our various editions.
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