Stevie French has spoken out about the incredible care her dad received from St Barnabas Hospicebefore he sadly died when she was 21.
Stevie said, “My family will never forget the kindness of St Barnabas after Dad was cared for by the absolute heroes in their Hospice at Home team in 2017. These nurses will forever stand out in my sister’s, mum’s and my own memory as being worth their weight in gold. Dad was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is a rare, terminal condition that causes brain damage, worsening rapidly over a short period of time. It was devastating to try and process this kind of diagnosis, especially as I was only 21 at the time.
“I found it most difficult to come to terms with seeing my ‘big strong Dad,’ a constant source of love and strength in my life, become so vulnerable, so quickly. The nurses made sure he felt dignified every visit and kept a sense of normality and camaraderie with him. Dad was always a social butterfly and the St Barnabas team acted more like old friends, rather than just part time carers. That sense of ease and having friendly faces during such a turbulent time, I know meant a lot to Dad. In turn, it meant even more to us as his family.
“The nurses at St Barnabas are some of the most kind-hearted people I have met, so I want to help them spread their love to more homes across Lincolnshire this year. Will you join me in playing the Winter Raffle? A single ticket costs just £1 and each one purchased will help the Hospice continue their vital home visits across the county.
“As a nod to the new year, the grand prize is an amazing £2,022! Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see that extra money in your bank account? If I won, I think I’d invest the money into growing my baking business and putting smiles on people’s faces through cakes and biscuits!
“The Winter Raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 23rd March, so please make sure to get your entries in no later than Friday 18th March for guaranteed entry. If you are able to enter by Monday 14th February, you will even be entered into a bonus draw for the chance to win one of ten high street gift cards!
“On behalf of my family, I want to say a huge thank you for your kindness today. It was the biggest comfort to me that my mum could focus on being a wife to Dad instead of his full-time carer, and that was down to the support St Barnabas gave us. Being able to spend precious time together as a family when our world was falling apart is something I will never forget. If you can spare a few extra pounds, please think about gifting this to the Hospice to help others like us.
“This year it will cost the Hospice £29.16 for a nurse to spend two hours at home supporting someone just like my dad, as well as their family. For those needing bereavement support once a loved one has died, this is £18.13 per one-to-one session.
“The start of the new year symbolises hope for the future, and my hope is that the incredible hospice nurses can continue bringing heart to the homes of people across Lincolnshire so that more families like ours are touched by their warmth.
“Thank you for your continued support of the Hospice, it really does mean so much that their care is available to those who need it. I wish you the very best of luck.”
Purchase your tickets online at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/
———————————–
Cover Photo: Stevie, her mum, dad and sister
St Barnabas Hospice is a local independent charity and every year they support more than 10,500 people across Lincolnshire. They deliver free, high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care and support to people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, their family and carers. St Barnabas offers the patient and their family hospice care and support via: specialist inpatient care, care at home, day therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, complementary therapy, welfare advice and bereavement support. All the services are free. St Barnabas needs to raise over £6m a year to provide its support and care. Over 900 volunteers play a crucial role in the charity’s success.
Leave a Reply