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PR: Ann takes up the challenge to make a difference in the warm heart of Africa

Imagine combining the trip of a lifetime with the opportunity to make a difference both here in Plymouth and in one of the world’s poorest countries – that’s the opportunity St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is offering those who want to push their boundaries physically and mentally and use their skills to help global hospice care.

The charity’s Malawi Challenge 2019 combines an exciting physical challenge with helping people in the country known as the ‘warm heart of Africa’, while raising vital funds for the compassionate care St Luke’s gives and the special memories the organisation creates every day for patients and their families when time is short.

The eight-day challenge includes a two-day climb up majestic Mulanje Mountain – with the opportunity to run part of the route for those wanting to push themselves even harder – and visits to rural home-based clinics, as well as enjoying some of Africa’s most breath-taking scenery and wildlife.

Famously friendly, Malawi is one of Africa’s most beautiful countries, but it is also one of its poorest, with 60 per cent of its people earning less than 93 pence a day.

Participants in the challenge (6 – 13 April 2019) will see a different side to Africa and meet dedicated, passionate and inspiring people committed to delivering healthcare in a challenging, cripplingly under-resourced environment. It is an opportunity for people from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions to pool their skills for the benefit of Malawians in need of their help.

One of the first to get on board with the challenge is intrepid Ann Brady, who celebrates her 70th birthday this December.

A nurse with 50 years’ experience, Ann is widely travelled and has trekked the Great Wall of China but has never been to Malawi. She is keen to use her nursing skills to benefit those living in the cripplingly poor country, where life expectancy is low.

Ann, who was Marie Curie Nurse of the Year in 2006 and lives in Worcester, said: “A good friend works at St Luke’s and having heard all about the fantastic care the team gives, I’ve been inspired to sign up for this amazing challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting people from all backgrounds with knowledge and skills they can use generously to make a difference, whether they’re health-related or in another area.

“We’ll all come with different experience but share a common goal to help in whatever way we can. It’s also a great opportunity to see stunning scenery, and I’m looking forward to extending my stay so that I can enjoy a safari.”

While those from a medical or social work background can support or offer training workshops to Malawi’s Palliative Care Support Trust Blantyre, which provides palliative care for children and adults through clinics and home visits, those from different backgrounds can use their skills to support other organisations, such as those focussing on education, law and women’s rights.

Speaking about the challenge, Penny Hannah, Head of Fundraising at St Luke’s, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity – not only for the amazing trip and all the wonderful memories it will create but for people to share their skills, any skills they have, and work with Malawians within the healthcare and community care system.

“Everyone who takes part will be pushing their boundaries physically and mentally, joining a team committed to supporting global hospice care, and really giving something back at home and in the warm heart of Africa as an incredible global compassionate citizen.”

Those taking part in the challenge have the opportunity to extend their stay and enjoy activities such as scuba diving and kayaking at Lake Mulanje – or can simply relax in a hammock and take in the stunning surroundings. They can also travel into Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania or South Africa.

More information about the Malawi Challenge 2019 is available here.

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PR: Prison walls are no barrier to our specialist care

In our ambition to be a ‘Hospice without Walls’, taking our compassionate end of life care to more people regardless of their circumstances, we have been reaching through the walls of Dartmoor Prison to look after inmates facing their last days – and have won prestigious national recognition for our pioneering project!

As finalists in the Delivering Dignity category of the Burdett Nursing Awards, which celebrate good nursing practice, the team behind this groundbreaking work, St Luke’s Community Nurse Specialists Martin Thomas and Derek Hart, plus Care UK’s Sheridan McGinlay, who they work alongside at Dartmoor, were in London recently for the glittering awards ceremony.

They were ecstatic to not only take first prize in their category, securing a £20,000 grant, but to receive the accolade of being overall winners of the awards, adding an extra £10,000 to their pot so that they can build on the project’s success.

It was in 2015 that St Luke’s launched the End of Life Care in Dartmoor Prison project aimed at improving access and increasing end of life care for prisoners, helped by a Burdett Trust grant.

Since then, in an environment many would find challenging, Martin and Derek have helped change the way Dartmoor delivers end of life care, creating a blueprint for other prisons in the process.

Despite its 630 prisoners, an ageing demographic and high levels of chronic diseases, the prison was referring just a small number of patients for specialist palliative care. As was apparent to our team, this was related to a lack of understanding of, and low expectations around, end of life care. However, with the prison’s Healthcare Team keen to change this, our team worked in partnership with them to facilitate positive changes through regular meetings and clinics, as well as staff training.

Thanks to this approach, and despite considerable challenges around prison security, the internal drug culture and Victorian prison wings, the number of prisoners accessing end of life services has increased seven-fold, care is patient-centered and integrated, and there is greater choice for prisoners in the care they receive.

Importantly, the prison’s culture is now more compassionate. A ‘buddy system’ is seeing inmates support each other by giving practical help to the less able, and they are also receiving training to become listeners. In addition, there’s now a dedicated wing for those who require care, and good take up of St Luke’s Advance Care plan, which lets staff know the individual’s wishes if that person is unable to speak up for themselves in their last days.

Speaking about the awards, George Lillie, Deputy Chief Executive at St Luke’s, said: “It’s fantastic that our dedicated team has received such well-deserved recognition, and encouraging that working in partnership is bringing our compassionate care to those who are often forgotten. Well done to everyone involved!”

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BLOG: St Luke’s develop new communications tool kit for healthcare professionals

In a hospital environment, a sensitive approach to necessary but difficult conversations with patients’ families is key. In Derriford Hospital Plymouth space is very tight and a creative solution has been sought to provide staff there with guidance to enhance communication at these times.

To help with this, the hospital called on the expertise of Dr Sioned Evans, Consultant in Palliative Medicine at St Luke’s, who worked with colleagues to develop the SPACE initiative. Based on established good practice in communication, the plan is to role it out across the hospital to help staff prepare and plan for sensitive conversations.

“We chose the acronym SPACE because space is both the problem and the solution,” said Sioned.

For more information please call St Luke’s hospital team (Level 8) on 01752 436744.

BLOG: St Luke’s Making Memories | love, laughter and flamingoes

Love and laughter filled the air at our specialist unit at Turnchapel recently, when our team helped Domminick, a patient there, and his wife Hilary celebrate the renewal of their wedding vows.

The touching service in the Harbour was followed by a joyful wedding reception in our specially decorated Conservatory for visiting family and friends of the couple.

The pink flamingo theme chosen by Domminick and Hilary reflected their fun personalities and raised lots of smiles, with the bride – who arrived by vintage car – sporting flamingo pyjamas and slippers, and guests enjoying flamingo cupcakes with their champagne.

Also on the menu were ‘poo’ cupcakes, which – along with the groom’s poo-themed slippers – were a light-hearted way the couple chose to reference Domminick’s bowel cancer.

Hilary said: “Raising more awareness of bowel cancer and the signs of it are so important. People need to talk more about poo! Also, we should speak more openly about hospice care because, as our special day showed, hospices can be such happy places where memories of love and fun are created.”

The beautiful flowers, including Hilary’s pretty posy and Domminick’s button-hole (worn with his Muppets t-shirt), were kindly donated by Plymstock florist, H Watts.

Keen to go the extra mile to make the day even more special, our team transformed Domminick’s room on the ward into a honeymoon suite, complete with rose petals on the bed and ‘love nest – do not disturb’ sign on the door.

Sister Karen Thorrington said: “The whole occasion was so lovely, happy and uplifting, fulfilling Domminick’s wish for it to be all about the couple celebrating their love for each other. He wanted to create a lasting memory for Hilary of fun, not sad times.

“A huge thank you to all our staff and volunteers who pulled together to make it all so special, full of precious memories.”

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PR: Delegates gather to make Plymouth a more compassionate city

Over a hundred people from a wide range of organisations, from the arts and the NHS to schools, solicitors, churches and charities, gathered in Plymouth last week to discuss ways of collaborating to make the city more compassionate for those at the end of life, or living with bereavement and loss.

As a growing city (a predicted 300,000 residents by 2032) with a rising number of over-65s, there are increasing demands on health and social care resources as care becomes more complex and end of life needs grow. New ways of delivering services are needed, and Plymouth has already started to make strides in developing a more inclusive approach to end of life care, with the conference being a call to do more.

The Compassionate City conference on Thursday 17 May was facilitated by St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week to highlight the positive work currently happening across the city while encouraging co-operation to address existing and future challenges.

According to the Compassionate City charter to which Plymouth has committed, ‘a compassionate city is a community that recognises that the natural cycles of health and sickness, birth and death, love and loss occur every day across our society. It defines a compassionate city as one that recognises that care for one another at times of crisis and loss are not solely a task for health and social services but everyone’s responsibility’.

Key speaker at the conference, 50th Anniversary (End of Life Care) Professor Allan Kellehear from the University of Bradford, said: “Every day people die and hearts are broken. While we can’t prevent death, by working collectively we can help prevent the harms that can accompany it, such as depression and job loss.

“Death and dying are more than medical issues and caring for those affected is not just the role of the doctor and the chaplain. End of life care is everyone’s responsibility and we all have a practical role to play. The measure of success is how many people enrol in this.”

Fellow speaker Carole Burgoyne, Strategic Director for People at Plymouth City Council, said: “The Compassionate City Charter for end of life care gives us all a framework to work towards and as a Council we fully support this approach and want to work with our community to make this aspiration a reality.

“By taking a public health approach to end of life care, we can give a voice to all those affected by death, dying, bereavement and loss and create a city that does not shy away from their needs, but together provides a compassionate collective response.”

Those at the conference heard inspirational case studies demonstrating a compassionate and joined-up approach to end of life care, including the work of St Luke’s and its partners at Dartmoor Prison and George House Homeless Hostel in Plymouth.

There was a call by Gail Wilson, Deputy Clinical Director at St Luke’s, for people to sign up to become Compassionate Friends and make personal pledges to support those at end of life or suffering from bereavement or loss. She called for communities to form compassionate networks in their areas so that no-one feels isolated or alone. Such networks can receive free training through the St Luke’s Compassionate Communities development programme, which aims to form new ways of working between communities and services to improve end of life care locally.

Delegates also learned about the Advance Care Plan (ACP) card that can be kept in wallets and purses. Pioneered by St Luke’s, the card highlights to all that there is a personal plan which states the future wishes of the individual. This will help staff ensure the wishes of the person, as far as possible, are respected and acted upon should they be unable to speak up for themselves in their last days.

In addition, round table discussions focused on action plans to develop a compassionate city with collective actions for schools and colleges, care homes, places of worship, and city cafes and other social spaces.

Speaking about the conference, Abenaa Gyamfuah-Assibey, St Luke’s Community Development Worker, said: “It was really encouraging to see so many organisations and groups represented and engaging enthusiastically in the thought-provoking discussions at this event.

“The day was a huge success in developing a communal vision of Plymouth as a Compassionate City and putting ideas into action to ensure positive outcomes that will support everyone at times of difficulty and loss, regardless of their age, culture or background.

“We now want to harness all of this energy through the end of life network to realise our aspiration for Plymouth to become recognised as England’s first Compassionate City for end of life.”

Find out how you can become a compassionate community.

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BLOG: the stuff of legends

Known as ‘the stuff of legends’, the Marathon des Sables is the toughest foot race on Earth.

So we have been blown away by the awe-inspiring achievements of two friends who have shown true grit (and then some!) by completing this most gruelling of challenges to support us, raising a fantastic £8,000 – and still counting.

Their personal reasons for getting behind our charity enabled Jamie Shewbrook and Jonathan Gliddon, who live in Plymouth, to muster the huge mental and physical strength needed to endure the multi-stage, mixed terrain race, which covers over 156 miles in the harshest of environments – the Sahara Desert.

Jonathan’s decision to support St Luke’s took on extra significance for him when his cousin Richard was admitted to our specialist unit at Turnchapel just before the race. Knowing time was running short for Richard, and that he was receiving our compassionate care, enabled Jonathan to dig extra deep and overcome chronic back pain, disturbances of vision, heatstroke and having to have each toe lanced daily to complete the incredible challenge.

Jonathan said: “The race takes you to extremes – not just physically but mentally, too. When I felt ready to quit, knowing Richard was at St Luke’s gave me that extra push to keep going despite the pain and harsh conditions.

“Incredibly, on the final day of the race I seemed to get extra strength from somewhere and it wasn’t until after I’d finished that I learned it was then that Richard had passed away.”

Before taking on the Marathon des Sables, Jamie – who saw three friends receive St Luke’s care – had already raised an amazing £27,000 for us, including conquering Mount Kilimanjaro in 2003, trekking across the Arctic with huskies, cycling to John O’Groates and more.

Completing the Marathon des Sables had long been a goal for him, and finishing 97th out of 1,000 was the icing on the cake!

He said: “Each day of the race got harder and harder for different reasons, whether it was the terrain, heat or distance. The longest was Day 4, when I covered over 53 miles in 13 hours 17 minutes.

“The long stage was the most gruelling but also the most satisfying. I knew then that all I had to do was complete a marathon on Day 6 and I would have achieved my goal.

“All the way through, it helped to know I was making a difference for St Luke’s. Most people in Plymouth have been touched or know someone who has been cared for by the team. It’s such a fantastic local charity and really needs our support.”

Well done, Jamie and Jonathan! And thank you so much – the money you have raised will make a big difference.

We hope you’ve been enjoying a well-deserved rest!

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BLOG: Fundraiser Maxine given the honor of opening new Southway charity shop

When it came to choosing the right person to cut the ribbon at the opening of its new charity shop in Southway, St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth knew just the woman for the job!

Maxine Carter, who lives locally, bravely had her head shaved on her 55th birthday earlier this year, raising almost £5,000 for the charity that cared for her father-in-law at its specialist unit at Turnchapel following his cancer diagnosis.

Her head shave, which took place at the Falstaff Inn in Southway, was something Maxine had been planning for five years while she grew her hair long. Prior to performing the shave, hairdresser Jenny King divided Maxine’s hair into four plaits, each measuring 16 inches, so that they could benefit the Little Princess Trust , which provides real hair wigs free of charge to children who’ve lost their own hair due to illness.

Maxine’s endeavour was supported family and friends who sponsored her, and a raffle at the event further boosted her total.

Speaking about her reasons for supporting the charity, Maxine said: “St Luke’s is important to me because of the fantastic work they do. My mum passed away 37 years ago this August and as a family we had no support from anyone, just a district nurse to visit once a day for personal care. It was really tough.

“But when my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer, it was St Luke’s who made such a difference. He received great care and as a family we felt well supported.

“I have been overwhelmed at how generously everyone has got behind my fundraising, and I felt very proud to be asked to cut the ribbon at the opening of the new shop.”

There’s no stopping Maxine, who is and taking her bravery to the next level and planning a skydive in aid of St Luke’s.

She said: “I always say to people, you never know what is around the corner and one day they might need the services of St Luke’s. It is a local charity and every penny counts. They need our support so they can carry on the fantastic care they give.”

People wanting to support Maxine can do so via her fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/Maxine-Carter1

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