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BLOG: Life begins at 40 – St Luke’s reaches maturity

Life begins at 40 – St Luke’s reaches maturity

Today, one of the people at the forefront of the specialist end-of-life care St Luke’s provides, Medical Consultant Dr Jeff Stephenson, shares his reflections on two decades with our charity.

“It is said that at the age of about 40 life can become richer because one has the skills, wisdom and means to make it so. Plymouth’s own hospice charity reached middle age this week and has matured well.  I have worked as Consultant at St Luke’s for about 20 of those years, and it has been a privilege to be a part of its journey.

“While much has changed, some things haven’t: the passion, patience and professionalism of staff and volunteers across the organisation, the bedrock on which our excellence is built; and the goodwill, generosity and support of the people of Plymouth and its surrounds.  And so many of the patients and families whom we serve continue to inspire by their fortitude, resilience and grace in the face of terminal illness.

“The place has certainly changed.  The hospice building has undergone several renovations but it continues to provide an atmosphere of peace and calm that is often therapeutic in itself – the ‘hospice effect.’  And our community services recently returned to the hospice site after two relocations, with potential for more seamless working between inpatient and community teams.  Things come full circle!

“St Luke’s has become more prominent both locally and nationally, with the integration of our clinical services across Plymouth, the expansion of our hospital team and our community services, and our innovative and pioneering projects, service developments and educational initiatives.  We have changed perceptions about what we do, and are probably less thought of as simply the ‘hospice on the hill’.  However, the association of our services with a hospice building can still be persistent despite our messaging about being a ‘hospice without walls’ influencing care in whatever setting patients find themselves.

“While the care we deliver hasn’t changed much, the processes around it have become more complex and time-consuming.  The pioneering, seat-of-the-pants freedom of the early hospice movement was still evident to a degree at St Luke’s when I started.  It has since been squeezed, though not completely suffocated, by the increasing regulatory and bureaucratic frameworks of mainstream healthcare – and quite rightly so in many respects, but we seem to expend much more effort on activities to prove and validate what we do.  Sometimes, a casualty of that can be the luxury of time to spend with those whose time is running short, something that was our great strength with a focus on ‘being with’ rather than ‘doing to’ and a counter to the notion that dying is something to be fixed.  But we willingly embrace such frustrations in pursuit of our vision for better end-of-life care for all.

“And here is where St Luke’s has most obviously matured, and arguably secured its future in our community – the adoption of a coherent vision.  In my early years I can’t recall a clear vision.  We provided exemplary care to those we looked after or were involved with, and we influenced care elsewhere through education and training, and it felt good and rewarding to do so.  But it was an uncomfortable fact that while we provided a Rolls Royce service to a few who happened to be referred to us, many others weren’t getting an adequate level of support.  And despite the great progress that had been made there were still people who were dying badly.  Then about seven years ago, as we grappled with the challenges posed by changing demographics and predictions of future care needs, a vision crystallised.

“A community where no person has to die alone, in pain or in distress.  I am proud to have had a part in developing this vision.  It is an expansive one, extremely ambitious and yet eminently possible.  It looks beyond St Luke’s, recognising that we can’t provide such care to everyone that needs it, shifting the emphasis somewhat from our direct care to our role in training, teaching, equipping and supporting others, including care home staff.  It has made us more secure in our identity and given confidence about our future role in the changing healthcare environment.

“It was a driver for the decision to reduce our number of beds and focus more resource on the community.  It has validated the time and resource we have devoted to training other professionals – in my time we have had about 60 trainee GPs working for us, and hosted over a thousand medical students on placements, in addition to students in nursing and other disciplines.  And it has motivated us to seek opportunities to collaborate with external healthcare partners, such as Livewell Southwest and Marie Curie.

“We have come a long way.  But there is still a long way to go.  I had hoped that by now we would have better treatments for some of the symptoms we deal with, but most of the drugs and approaches we use haven’t really changed.  I had hoped that we would have a fairer and more effective social care system, without which our vision simply cannot be achieved.  I had hoped that we would have changed the narrative about death and dying to a much greater extent.  It seems to me that there can still be a temptation to over-treat, trying to stave off death for a little longer in a society that has largely lost any sense of there being anything more important.  Yet paradoxically, our society now appears closer than ever to opening the door to euthanasia and assisted suicide, with seismic repercussions for end-of-life care, and perhaps testament to our collective failure to capture the public imagination with what a better way can look like.

“All this presents huge challenges for St Luke’s.  But we are ready to face them.  And in many ways the pandemic has better equipped us to do so.  We have demonstrated our resilience and adaptability, and there is a greater internal cohesiveness.  We are collaborating more effectively with external services.  And we have been given the opportunity and privilege of refining who we are and what we do going forward.  Here’s to the next 40 years!”

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BLOG: Dr Mary Nugent remembers

Dr Mary Nugent in garden

On the 40th anniversary of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, we began our series focusing on the past of our charity that has touched the lives of so many local families over the past four decades. Today, we share the reflections of Dr Mary Nugent, who started as a young doctor at the hospice in our early years and soon became a central figure in the small yet dynamic team whose dedication, skills and compassion helped shape the specialist service for which St Luke’s is still renowned today.

Having been recruited by St Luke’s first Medical Director, Dr Sheila Cassidy, who spotted her potential and went on to become her mentor, Dr Mary – as she became known to everyone – joined the hospice in 1985. This was at Syrena House in Plymstock, the forerunner of the specialist inpatient unit at Turnchapel that was bought and converted, thanks to huge support from local people who believed in St Luke’s mission to relieve the pain and distress of terminally ill people nearing the end of their lives.

Dr Mary quickly found her vocation looking after patients holistically, recognising that in listening and focussing on what matters to them, alleviating their pain and putting them at ease, people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease can live well to the end of their lives and die with dignity.

Together, Sheila and Mary – plus the small team of nurses alongside them – developed this as their way of working, ensuring patients felt understood and uplifted and their families supported and reassured.

Dr Mary said: “When I joined St Luke’s, I could see how innovative the team was, giving bespoke care to terminally ill people as inpatients instead of them having to stay in hospital or being looked after at home. As a young doctor though, I could barely even spell palliative care so I was in at the deep end, and that’s how my journey with the hospice began.

“Space was incredibly tight at Syrena House, but we used every inch for the care and comfort our patients. We all crammed in together and just made it work. The bathroom even became the doctor’s office and we had a makeshift desk across the bath! There were just seven patient beds initially, with three more added later because patient referrals kept on coming.

“I found my niche at the hospice because we had the luxury of time to love and look after our patients. What we were doing was desperately needed by people in Plymouth and surrounding areas, and it was exciting to be part of developing something that was so pioneering.

“The camaraderie was tremendous, too. We were friends working together, all to help people who were in the last stages of life. I was quickly building on my basic medical knowledge, learning about the anatomy of being very sick and the effects and benefits of new drugs, then taking to the road to teach young doctors around the country about what we were doing and why it was so important.

“You have to remember that palliative care wasn’t recognised as a medical specialism until early 1994 – since which time is has grown and grown – so we were all just seen as ‘hospice doctors’. Recognition of the highly skilled work we were doing in hospice care only grew thanks to Dr Sheila Cassidy – and others like her – who had the insight and tenacity to make changes that were needed so that talking about death and dying became a bit less taboo and patients received more personalised care, maintaining their dignity.”

With a pressing need for larger premises, we embarked on a high-profile fundraising campaign for what became our purpose-built inpatient unit at Turnchapel, which opened in 1988. The 20-bed facility with beautiful views was built on land given to us by Plymouth City Council.

Dr Mary said: “When the move to Turnchapel came, it was a joy. Double the number of beds, plenty of bathrooms and wonderful new gadgets. We created the very best hospice environment we could, enabling people with terminal illness to be themselves and be looked after as themselves.

“There was great excitement when Prince Charles performed the official opening, in 1988, with crowds lining the driveway all waving their flags. He was well informed about the hospice movement and generous in his attitude, spending time talking to patients, volunteers and staff

Dr Mary, who became Medical Director of St Luke’s in 1993, has fond memories of the many patients she met as well as the family atmosphere Turnchapel provides for them, thanks to the kindness of staff and volunteers.

She said: “I remember patients’ weddings, which though they had to be arranged quickly by our team, were so beautiful and poignant. I also recall a lady who recognised me from the hospital and greeted me like a long-lost friend. She was determined to have at least three weeks of being looked after by me, and she did. I can still see her smiling face.”

During her time with the hospice Dr Mary witnessed – and was part of – a big expansion in the provision of palliative care, which included closer working between St Luke’s and the Primary Care Trusts to pioneer an integrated palliative care service. Whereas previously, Derriford Hospital had been separate to the hospice, in 2005 the new St Luke’s Hospital Service was established, with Dr Mary appointed its lead. In her dual roles of Palliative Care Consultant at Derriford and Medical Director at St Luke’s she was the link between the two organisations.

Dr Mary said: “I was made very welcome by the consultants. No barriers were put up and the integrated service at the hospital got into gear. This meant a joined-up service for patients, with hospice staff providing education and leadership for many hospital doctors and nurses.

“St Luke’s is a leader in palliative care, and the triple service it provides at home, in hospital and at the specialist unit has been replicated by many other hospices because they, too, have recognised how much patients benefit when they experience a seamless service. The needs of patients must always be at the centre of that service, and St Luke’s has never forgotten this.”

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BLOG: Big-hearted Citybus Plymouth backs local hospice care

St Luke's nurses with CityBus Plymouth managing director

Big-hearted Citybus Plymouth backs local hospice care

Community-spirited Citybus Plymouth is helping St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth keep the wheels of our vital service turning by showing support in our 40th anniversary year.

With yesterday, 25 January, marking the day that 40 years ago we welcomed our first patients, Plymouth Citybus unveiled the bus it has decked out in St Luke’s branding to highlight our charity reaching such a special milestone.

Featuring some of the friendly faces of St Luke’s team, and the message of the hospice providing compassionate care for the community for 40 years, the bus will cover routes across the city throughout the year.

From humble beginnings at Syrena House in Plymstock to the multidisciplinary service we provide today, looking after terminally ill people at home, in hospital and at Turnchapel, St Luke’s cares for up to 300 patients at any given time and supports their families, too. We can do this at no cost to those we help, thanks to local individuals and organisations who fundraise, donate and volunteer to help keep our service going.

Support from local businesses is critical to ensuring St Luke’s resilience so we can reach more people who desperately need specialist care at the end of their lives.

Richard Stevens, Managing Director of Plymouth Citybus said: “Many of our team members and customers have been touched by St Luke’s in one way or another. Branding the bus for the charity is our way of saying thank you for superb care given and helping to make sure the whole city is aware of the brilliant work St Luke’s has done over the past 40 years.”

Steve Statham, Chief Executive of St Luke’s, said: “A big thank-you to Plymouth Citybus. Our eye-catching branded bus will raise more awareness of St Luke’s specialist service and the support from our community that makes it possible. The more local businesses who get behind our charity, the more families we can help over the next 40 years and beyond.”

 

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St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Mini Documentary

St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Mini Documentary

It’s our birthday!

Proud to reach our 40th anniversary today, we couldn’t let such a special milestone pass by without saying a HUGE thank-you to all our supporters, as loyal now as you have always been.

From welcoming our first patients to Syrena House in Plymstock on this day in 1982 to our service of today, looking after people at home, in hospital and at Turnchapel, we simply couldn’t do as much as we do, as well as we do it, without the unwavering kindness of our community.

Your hearts full of compassion got St Luke’s started and they still keep us going.

Read more about our history here.

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Men’s Day Out: The power of hundreds of men on the move

Men's Day Out blog header image

The power of hundreds of local men on the move

We’ve launched Men’s Day Out, one of our flagship fundraising events, inviting men to gather together outdoors and go the extra mile to do good for local families going through the toughest of times.

Men’s Day Out is one of the city’s most iconic annual charity events. It raises vital funds to support the compassionate care our hospice provides for terminally ill people 365 days a year at home, in hospital and at our specialist unit at Turnchapel.

Walking in memory of loved ones no longer with them, who will never be forgotten

Places for Men’s Day Out on Saturday 23 April are expected to sell out quickly. This is due to the popularity of the event, which sees hundreds of men walking a 12km route that starts and finishes at Plymouth Albion RFC. The sponsored walk through the city’s streets and along the waterfront takes in sights such as Plymouth Hoe and the Barbican. Many of the men walk in memory of loved ones no longer with them, who will never be forgotten.

Sponsored by local company Jem Scaffolding Limited, Men’s Day Out is renowned for being a day of fun and banter. Those taking part will enjoy a pasty and a beer as well as a not-to-be-missed clash between the home team and Taunton Titans.

Registration for the event is £35. This covers logistical costs including a t-shirt, pasty, beer and entry to the rugby match.

“We could not do what we do as well as we do it without the support of the big-hearted community around us”

Nina Wearne, Partnerships Manager at St Luke’s, said: “Whether you take part in Men’s Day Out as a personal challenge or to celebrate the life of someone special, and whether you do it for the first time or as an event you enjoy every year, what matters is just that you walk.

“While St Luke’s gives specialist end of life care, free of charge to patients, this does not come cheap to our charity. We could not do what we do as well as we do it without the support of the big-hearted community around us. Being part of Men’s Day Out is a fantastic way to have loads of fun while making an important difference to local families who would otherwise miss out on the specialist care and support they need.”

Sign up for Men’s Day Out by clicking here.

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St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Trailer

St Luke's 40th Anniversary date.

On 25 January 2022, it will be the St Luke’s 40th anniversary. A whole 40 years since we welcomed our first patients. Our charity heralded the arrival of a completely new concept for the city – specialist care for terminally ill people as in-patients in a home-from-home environment, rather than in hospital, to ensure their comfort and dignity at the end of their lives. From this, grew the St Luke’s of today, looking after the majority of patients at home and at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, with only those with the most complex symptoms needing admission to Turnchapel.

What has not changed since its beginnings though, is our need to rely on the community to keep providing our specialist services at no cost. That’s why, as well as reflecting on four decades of compassionate care, we are using our 40th anniversary to express heartfelt thanks to all our supporters for their support.

“Quite simply though, we would never have come into existence – let alone still be helping local families four decades on – without the unstinting support we receive from the community around us.” – Current CEO, Steve Statham

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BLOG: Cancellation of St Luke’s Light Up a Life services, 14 December 2021

Cancellation of Light up a Life services header

Cancellation of St Luke’s Light Up a Life services, 14 December 2021

A message from St Luke’s Head of Fundraising, Penny Hannah

With confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Plymouth rising above the UK average, plus current uncertainty around the likely impact of the new variant Omicron, we have taken the decision to cancel our three Light up a Life remembrance services scheduled for 14 December at the Minster Church of St Andrew, Plymouth.

We are making this announcement now as we feel it is more respectful to our supporters than calling off these popular events more last minute.

While we understand how disappointing this news will be for everyone who was looking forward to joining us at the services, and we are sad not to be alongside them in person, we feel it is the right thing to do in order to protect them and their families as well as our nurses, other staff and volunteers who take part in Light up a Life. As a healthcare organisation looking after the most vulnerable people, it would be highly irresponsible for us to run the risk of these members of our team becoming infected at the event, which could then mean patients contracting COVID-19, too.

For everyone who would like to celebrate the life of a lost loved at this special time of year, there is still the opportunity to pay tribute to their friend or relative online here as part of our Light up a Life appeal. In dedicating a virtual bauble as a symbol of their love, they will be supporting local families who desperately need our compassionate care and support this Christmas.

Thank you for your understanding and your continued support for St Luke’s, which is so appreciated.

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PR: Bringing light to bereaved people during the festive season

Light up a Life header image

For people finding the run-up to Christmas anything but festive because they’re missing someone special who has died, the Light up a Life remembrance services organised by a much-loved local charity could help bring comfort and light.

The annual Light up a Life services run by St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth are for anyone who has been bereaved, whether recently or years ago, and regardless of whether the hospice was involved in the care of the person who passed away. They are an opportunity for bereaved people to come together with others in similar circumstances to celebrate the life of their lost loved ones and reflect on memories they treasure.

Sponsored by Western Power Distribution, this year’s services are taking place at the Minster of St Andrew’s, Plymouth, on Tuesday 14 December, at 2pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm. These non-religious events are free of charge to attend and there is no need to book.

Jutta Widlake, Head of Social Care at St Luke’s, said: “While Christmas is a special time, we know it can often be tinged with sadness when you’ve lost someone close. If this sounds like you, please remember you are not alone. We warmly invite everyone who wants to join us to our Light up a Life services – not only families of people who received our care before they died but anyone who has been bereaved.  We find that many people choose to attend every year because the services are so joyous and uplifting.”

“Even if you cannot attend in person, you don’t need to miss out. From the comfort of your own home, you can watch the recording on our website a few days after the event.”

As is annual tradition, hospice volunteers and keen runners will carry a lit torch all the way from St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel to St Andrew’s to light the large candles inside. Due to safety measures St Luke’s is putting in place to help protect service attendees from COVID-19, members of the congregation will not be given candles to hold this year, nor will teas and coffees be provided after the services.

To help the charity continue its vital service looking after terminally ill people across the community and supporting the families around them, there will be an opportunity to give voluntary donations on the day, or online on St Luke’s website.

It is estimated that over the Christmas week, around 300 patients will be receiving specialist end of life care from St Luke’s. Donations from the community raised by these events support terminally ill people wherever they wish to be cared for – in their homes, at Derriford Hospital or at Turnchapel.

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BLOG: Light up a Life – Angie’s story

Light up a Life - Angie's Story

Light up a Life – Angie’s story

St Luke’s supporter Angie shares her story about her Dad, Clive, and how important St Luke’s was to her family…

“St Luke’s looked after my Dad, Clive, wonderfully at the end of his life 30 years ago, and I don’t know how our family would have coped without them.

“Dad was such a lovely man, very easy-going and jolly. He was an electrician and when he went self-employed, I did his typing for him, which meant we were together more and grew even closer. I have fond memories of the caravanning holidays we used to have, too – Mum, Dad and me and my siblings, Julie, Paul and Carol, all together.

“When Dad became short of breath doing simple things, we insisted he went for tests. When they revealed he had asbestosis it was devastating because it’s so serious and there’s no known cure.

“Seeing his condition deteriorate was really tough, and it was harder still when he became so poorly that he needed end of life care. There were such mixed emotions for our family because this was all happening while I was pregnant and me and my husband Colin were excited to be having our first child.

“Everyone was so friendly, his room had beautiful views”

“Hearing the word ‘hospice’ felt frightening. You can’t help imagining a depressing place, but to our relief St Luke’s specialist unit wasn’t like that at all. It was shortly before Christmas when Dad went in, and straight away, we knew he was in safe hands. Everyone was so friendly, his room had beautiful views and mum could stay by his side.

“St Luke’s were so kind and when Christmas Day came, they arranged for Dad to be at home with us for a couple of hours. He was very weak by then and stayed on the sofa, but it meant the world to him – and the whole family – that we could have that last Christmas together. It was the best gift we could have received.

“Just a week later, I went into labour and Mum accompanied me to the hospital – and, after I’d given birth, she raced back to Dad to tell him the happy news.

“Sadly, it was just a few hours later that Dad died and though it was heart-breaking that he never got to meet our new arrival, it has always comforted me that he lived long enough to hear the wonderful news of his birth.

“I’ll never forget the special man my Dad was, and the way St Luke’s helped us all at such a difficult time.”

“I’ll never forget the special man my Dad was, and the way St Luke’s helped us all at such a difficult time. Colin and I decided to call our son Luke, partly because the name couldn’t be shortened but also because I think, subliminally, I associated the name with the great kindness our family received from the hospice team.

“Luke is 30 now, doing well in his career and about to get married. I know Dad and Mum, who died just 18 months after him, would be so proud of Luke and our other children Jake and Tillie. We keep their grandparents’ memory alive, and we do whatever we can to support St Luke’s to say thank-you for making such an important difference.”

Were you touched by Angie’s story? During the festive season, we reach out to the families of our patients, allowing them to tell their stories of care at St Luke’s to people like you. If you’d like to help us continue to deliver our compassionate care, please consider donating to our Light up a Life campaign.

volunteering for 30 years
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BLOG: Recognising three decades of volunteering dedication

volunteering for three decades

Recognising three decades of volunteering dedication

“It doesn’t seem that long – I can’t quite believe it!”

They say time flies when you’re enjoying yourself and that is just how Saltash charity shop volunteer Jackie Taylor feels about clocking up an incredible 30 years as part of the store’s hardworking team.

Jackie, who is 80, lives in the town with her husband and has four children and nine grandchildren. Explaining what drew her to volunteer with our charity after moving to Saltash from London, she said: “I had a breast cancer scare and although I turned out to be okay, it got me thinking that one day I might be one of the ones who needs St Luke’s. Also, I’d worked as a nurse in London so there was an affinity there as well.

“I always look forward to my two mornings a week at the shop. I’m happy doing whatever is needed, whether it’s being on the till, steaming clothes and tagging them, or doing the dusting.

“It’s great being part of such a super team.”

“Hayley is a lovely manager, and it’s great being part of such a super team with people who are all so dedicated. I love meeting the customers, too. It’s never about hard selling – they’re there because they want to be, and I enjoy chatting with them as they browse around.

“Of course, being a volunteer all this time I’ve seen lots of changes, including the shop moving from the bottom of the town to the top and back again. What has stayed the same though, is the compassion St Luke’s has for everyone who needs them. It feels good to contribute to a charity that makes such an important difference in the community.”

As part of recognising Jackie’s special milestone, Saltash Shop Manager Hayley Pollard put on a celebratory tea, with Head of Retail Mike Picken and Retail Area Manager John Saunders calling in to say a special thank-you, too.

Hayley said: “Making sure the shop runs smoothly is a real team effort and we couldn’t do it without our volunteers who so kindly give their time and skills. I started as a volunteer myself – on the same day as Jackie in fact, so we’ve known each other a very long time. She’s committed and focussed, and nothing is too much trouble. I can only describe her as a complete superstar!”

Thank you, Jackie, for everything you do for our charity – it is so appreciated.

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