A former hospital nurse, whose close friend helped support the beginnings of Weston Hospicecare, has spent a week in the inpatient unit to bring symptoms under control.
Jean Delaney, aged 68, is suffering with cancer and was admitted to the inpatient unit to relieve pain and nausea.
Originally from Ireland, Jean has lived in Weston for 32 years and spent her working life as a hospital nurse.
She said: “Although I have not had an awful lot to do with the hospice, I have always supported the shops and fundraising events.
“A good friend of mine was actually heavily involved in the setup of the hospice, she lives in Ireland now but she is coming to visit next week and I would love to show her around.”
Jean was speaking to us after spending a week at the hospice before she was discharged later in the day.
She continued: “I came in feeling terribly unwell and the hospice just took me on and after day 3 I just felt as well as I did 3 or 4 months ago and I am so grateful to feel well and comfortable again.
“I have been here for one week and in that time I have had to go to Bristol for a pre-chemotherapy talk and the hospice packed me a very nice packed lunch and all my medication along with any information the hospital needed.
“Upon my return back from Bristol I was made to feel very comfortable and was given something to eat which was really nice, I was given the pain relief I needed so in a nutshell I have been really well looked after here. I feel like I have been wrapped up in love and care during my time here.”
Like Jean, a third of patients who are admitted to the hospices inpatient unit are not there for end of life care, but to bring symptoms under control and to relieve pain.
Jean continued: “I would say to prospective patients to the hospice to certainly don’t be frightened about coming here. You just want someone to look after you and take the pain away and there really isn’t anything to worry about.
“We all have to die, but here you know there are people who are dedicated to try their hardest not to let you die in pain.”
It costs £4.2million every year to care for people with life-limiting conditions at the hospice with 20% of that figure provided by the NHS, the rest must be raised through community fundraising event, major fundraising events, retail avenues and kind donations left as a legacy.