Let's Hear It For Hospice!
During the month of May, Hospices throughout New Zealand will be running fun events to lift the lid on what they do and to raise some much-needed funds.
With the support of the local community and a few high-profile Kiwis they won't be doing it alone.
The "Hospice Cuppa" event is a fun way Mercy Hospice Auckland will be raising funds and awareness to coincide with its Annual Awareness Week activities (Monday 13th May to Sunday 19th May 2013). It is hoped that as many as 100 Auckland businesses, community organisations and homes will take up the opportunity to bake some sweet treats and host a cuppa get together with friends and colleagues to raise support for the charity.
Mercy Hospice Auckland is a charitable organisation. Operating 24 hours of the day, 365 days of the year, Mercy Hospice provides its services free-of-charge.
It relies heavily on the goodwill of the public to assist with its care of patients facing life-limiting illness as well as their families. Partially funded by the Auckland District Health Board, Mercy Hospice still needs to raise a funding shortfall of $2.8 million this year in order to accommodate the growing number of Aucklanders requiring quality end-of-life care either at home or at its 13-bed In-Patient Unit (IPU).
This Awareness Week Mercy Hospice hopes to raise $200,000 to help cover the annual Patient Services costs involved with running its IPU facility. Donations will help resource the IPU with vital medical supplies and pharmaceuticals enabling Mercy's specialist team to support patients to be symptom free and comfortable. They will also help pay for other aspects of treatment such as x-rays, ambulance transportation and the rental of specialist palliative care equipment.
Helping spread the word are three well known New Zealanders who have all been touched by the work of Hospice.
Simon Dallow
In 2010, Simon's Mum Denise was told that a previously treated cancer had come back aggressively. Simon says that from that point on his Mum's life consisted of frequent visits in and out of hospital. When it was suggested Denise be admitted to Hospice for specialist palliative care she was very reluctant to go.
"What we found exceeded all expectation," Simon says, "Hospice was a place where Mum was treated with empathy, compassion and dignity rather than rules and regulations. Nothing came before the respect of her as an individual. The little things did matter. Mum died peacefully three days after being admitted. It gives you great faith in humanity when you discover the humanity shown by Hospice yourself."
Peter Williams
Peter Williams was in the process of moving his family across the Tasman for a short time when his wife Cecile was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Four months after leaving their family home in Upper Hutt the Williams moved back in.
"Dying at home was important to Cecile," Peter says, "For the last few months of her life she was cared for by visiting Hospice staff. Their services were extraordinary. Hospice is a movement that should be supported by everybody in this country."
Judy Bailey
Judy Bailey has had a number of friends cared for by Hospice, including her good friend Angela D'Audney. She is now Patron of her local Hospice and a huge advocate for the charity.
"The more you are involved with Hospice, the better understanding you have about death and dying," Judy says, "I think you come to see it as more of a journey and it certainly doesn't frighten me as much as it used to. Hospice is such a unique service. The community would be so much poorer if it wasn't there."
Click Here For more information on hosting a Hospice Cuppa or click here to make a donation.
Keep an eye out for collectors 16-19 May.
Verve Magazine (May 2013)
Photo: James Hancox, Photographers for Charity.