Tag Archive for: nursing

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BLOG: Why paramedic Jess swapped emergency sirens for hospice calm

Life as a paramedic was fast-paced, stressful and involved critical decisions every single day for Jess Timbrell. After several years of training and hands-on service on the road, she was both confident and qualified to respond in emergencies and make split-second choices to save people’s lives. But something was missing.
“I always had an interest in palliative care,” said Jess. “As a paramedic, you go out to a lot of people who are at the end of life, but you can’t spend the time you want with them because emergency demand is so high.
“It was so disheartening sitting with someone in an ambulance queue outside the hospital for hours, knowing they didn’t have long to live. And then when I did drop them off, I would never find out what happened to them.”

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BLOG: Santa, songs and smiles: Making Christmas memories at St Luke’s

St Luke’s was overflowing with Christmas spirit last Friday as staff went above and beyond to create a warm and joyful evening for current patients and their loved ones, as well as families who will be missing someone special for the first time this year.
Team members from across our organisation came together, giving up their own time to create a magical occasion featuring sparkling decorations, festive refreshments, Christmas music and live seasonal songs from the Burraton Boys and a raffle with super prizes.

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BLOG: Coping at Christmas

Bereavement is hard at any time of year, but the festive season – and Christmas itself -can feel particularly challenging for anyone experiencing grief. No-one understands this more than us. As well as providing specialist end-of-life care for people with terminal illness, we offer their family members bereavement support too.
This week (2-8 December) is National Grief Awareness Week, in association with The Good Grief Trust. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of grief, highlight the support on offer and to normalise conversations around it.

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BLOG: Because home is where love lives

Valerie and her husband Michael have shared a lifetime together – surviving war, raising a family, and building memories that span continents. Recently, Val was diagnosed with cancer of the blood, and her greatest wish was simple: to stay at home with the man she’s loved for 66 years.

Thanks to St Luke’s, that wish came true. Our team is there every day, bringing comfort, dignity, and compassion – because home is where love lives.

“They’re just like friends coming to visit you… It helps the family too. People forget about the family.”

This is hospice care at its heart: not just caring for patients, but wrapping families in support when they need it most.

Your support is how we make moments like this possible. Thank you.

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BLOG: You can take the lady out of St Luke’s but not St Luke’s out of the lady

St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth has reunited with one of its earliest caring hearts during a surprise visit for this special lady on her 95th birthday.

Brixton Venn Court resident Joy Ridley, one of St Luke’s first-ever nursing auxiliaries in the 1980s, was visibly moved when Jess Timbrell, a paramedic with the hospice, arrived with flowers and a birthday card for her this week. Although the two women had never met before, they quickly recognised in each other the same unwavering compassion for families affected by terminal illness.

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BLOG: Going above and beyond – Hospice Care Week 2025

Making what seems impossible happen – even the smallest of things – can have a profound effect for those whose time is running short and their families.
At St Luke’s, we believe hospice care goes far beyond the physical care – it’s about living well until the very end. Every day, our teams go above and beyond to help patients make the most of the time they have, creating space for joy, connection, and unforgettable moments with loved ones. Whether it’s a final trip to a special place, arranging a wedding, or simply sharing stories over tea, we’re here to make memories happen.
This Hospice Care Week (6-12 October 2025) we are shining a light on the compassionate stories that make up St Luke’s and the staff and volunteers that make them happen.

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BLOG: Riding ahead of the pack: Meet Joseph

When 13-year-old Joseph realised that he wouldn’t be able to make it to our Tour de Moor ride on Sunday, he didn’t let disappointment slow him down. Instead, he took on the challenge a week early, determined not to miss out on the event he had been looking forward to all year.
Avid bike lover, Joseph Florey, from Sherford, took part in our Tour de Moor with his dad for the first time last year. He loved it so much that he couldn’t wait to do it all over again this year and so signed up as soon as possible.
However unfortunately, he is due to undergo an operation just before the big day, meaning he would miss this year’s event. But Joseph was not going to let that stop him from completing the challenge. He got out on his bike at the weekend and battled the weather to ride the 11km route and has raised more than £100 in the process.

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BLOG: Mrs M makes her mural magic shine for St Luke’s Guiding Lights

With her signature blend of nature-inspired creativity, her passion for protecting the environment and her strong sense of community spirit, Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson, aka Mrs Murals, is a beacon of enthusiasm for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Guiding Lights art trail and auction spectacular that’s set to dazzle the city’s streets in summer 2026.
As one of two launch artists, alongside St Luke’s patron and celebrated city painter Brian Pollard, in May Mrs M proudly unveiled the design she created for a small scale lighthouse that will travel to different locations across South West and West Devon and into Cornwall in the lead-up to the event, encouraging public engagement and support for the hospice.

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BLOG: From Compassion to Commendation: Jamie’s Queen’s Nurse accolade

Clinical Nurse Specialist Jamie Jennings has made it a hat trick for St Luke’s after receiving the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse.
It’s a title currently held by only 3,000 nurses in the UK – including St Luke’s Nurse Consultant Jen Nicholls and Clinical Nurse Specialist Debbie Hutchinson – and it represents a commitment to the highest standards of patient care, learning and leadership.

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BLOG: Pete’s Ironman tribute to his brother David

“Supporting St Luke’s through the Ironman feels like the closest thing I can offer to a thank-you note.”

Pete Thacker completed the Leeds Ironman last week – consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run – in memory of his brother David, who was cared for by St Luke’s back in 2023.

Pete, from Otley, near Leeds is a self-described “keen albeit rather slow cyclist and runner”. He decided to take on his second Ironman in Leeds on July 27, completing it in a fantastic 13 hours and16 minutes.

“I completed my first Ironman around twelve years ago, but the body is older now and responding to training in slightly more painful ways than it did back then! That said, there’s nothing quite like the sense of achievement when you cross the finish line whether you run, walk or crawl over it. There’s a strange enjoyment in pushing yourself to that point. When you come into the transition area for the second time to start the run, someone always says, ‘last bit now’ but what they don’t mention is that the last bit is a full marathon!”

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