March e-news: Mary Potter through the decades

Every day of every year is special at Mary Potter because of what you make possible.

This year we recognise 30 years since we were founded in 1987 and with your help the Hospice has been able to support thousands of people and their families in this time. While we celebrate all that has been achieved over the years, we are mindful that there are still many more families we’ll meet who will need the Hospice. We take a moment to look at the impact your support has had on the Maddern family, who have experienced the care of the Hospice twice over the years.

Rachel knows the importance of the Hospice and the difference your support has made. The first time was when Rachel’s mum, Lesley died (1993) and more recently when her Papa and Lesley’s Dad, Anthony, passed away (2016).

“As a small child of 9, I remember going to the Hospice on the day my Mum got admitted and seeing her unconscious in the bed, to then a few hours later when I was standing in the hallway outside her bedroom being told by my Dad that she had died. I have such a vivid memory of that hallway and her hospital room. I hadn't stepped foot back in Mary Potter Hospice until my Papa was admitted 23 years later. I was very anxious and dreading having to go back.”

Thanks to people like you, on her second visit, Rachel was really touched and impressed that her family had access to the kitchen and newly refurbished children’s lounge.

“The fact that I was spending hours there and did not have to worry about food, or coffee or a quiet place to sit and have some time to myself … was amazing,” says Rachel. “Probably the most special thing was the children’s room, with the cute fairy door. It meant I could bring my three children, the youngest of whom is three, to visit and it not be the scary, daunting experience as it was for me when I was a little girl. They happily watched movies and played in there whilst also being able to spend quality time with their great-grandfather.”

At the heart of the Hospice, the exceptional level of care from the doctors, nurses and volunteers remains true. And this is all thanks to you, our wonderful donors. We are grateful to be able to give more families like the Madderns, the level of support that they need.

“From the moment we arrived with Papa, the care from the nurses and volunteers was incredible. I was quite unprepared for the realities of watching someone slowly die before your eyes, but the amazing nurses and doctors who talked me through the experience and offered as little or as much support as my family needed, made the process bearable. As for the volunteers, who seem to be the life blood of Mary Potter, their compassion and ability to read the emotions of grieving and emotionally charged relatives, is incredible.”

We know in the future we’ll meet more families like the Madderns. We need your help to ensure that Mary Potter Care is here to support them.

“Palliative care is so important. How lucky are we to have such a special place to make this process just that little bit easier.”

Together we look forward to making the next decade count, by helping patients and their families when it matters most.

 

L-R: Georgina, Rachel, Anthony and Patrick