Can you tell us when and why you joined St Wilfrid’s?

About four years ago, my youngest child started school and I couldn’t quite decide what to do. Then somebody suggested the Hospice to me. I have a nursing background and have worked in hospitals, including A&E and CCU (Coronary Care Unit). I visited the St Wilfrid’s website and read some of the patient stories about how the Hospice felt like home, and I felt instantly that it was where I wanted to be.

What is your role at St Wilfrid’s?

I’m a Senior Healthcare Assistant. I help with patient care and assist the nurses on the Ward. I really love what I do. A lot of my time is with patients and their loved ones creating memories.  It’s something that I’m really passionate about. I think that time spent with the people we love is a gift, and to be present at the end of a loved one’s life, that’s precious time.  And I really like that we have the opportunity for people to make memories. Some of the cherished but low-cost things I work on with patients include creating painted handprints and memory boxes – as well as helping families have that special time together.

Can you tell me a little more about creating memories?

Creating memories isn’t just about boxes and pieces of paper – they can be lovely to have after somebody has died – but it’s also about being able to share special time together at the end. I think that’s a really important thing that we do here at the Hospice. And that’s why I come to work. That’s what I’m passionate about; allowing people to have precious time together. My own personal experience has made me appreciate even more just how important it is to spend time with your loved ones, especially in the final days.

We help people create memories in different ways. Usually, we can do things in the patient’s room, but we have so many other nice areas in the Hospice. The garden is beautiful and loved ones can come and spend time outside in the garden.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, is it? Do you work with each patient and their individual wishes?

Yes. What we like to do at the Hospice is get to know the individual patient and their family, to then be able to suggest ideas for how they could create memories together, or how the patient could leave a memory in their own special way. We had one patient a little while ago, and when I was speaking to her about my new pretty shoes, she said, “I’ll just go to the cupboard and get my handbag”. She showed me this beautiful handbag and then said that she wanted it to go to her granddaughter.

So, I suggested that I get her a card and she could write a little message to her granddaughter. She wrote her message, put it in the bag and popped it back in the wardrobe for her granddaughter to have when the time came. What we do here to help patients is often down to chatting with them and these little but important things come up.

As well as the making memories. What else do you tend to do on a day-to-day basis?

I love to help people have a bubble bath because I think it’s such a lovely thing that we can do for patients. It’s something that we have at the Hospice that other healthcare settings don’t have. You can’t have a bubble bath in hospital. It’s something so simple, but it’s so hard to do at home; getting in and out of the bath can be really difficult. 

I also like laughter and I like to make people laugh. Just a few weeks ago, I did the St Wilf’s Olympics! We did a silly photo game and then stuck a daffodil on a marker while blindfolded – and we also made a piñata!

Are there any standout moments for you that show what hospice care is all about?

There have been lots of standout moments. For example, there was one patient who wanted to have a birthday party for her son, and we found some balloons, made a banner and decorated the room. But there are also the smaller things that we do, which are just as important. Sitting with patients, chatting to them and their loved ones – that’s what it’s really all about. Getting to know the families is so lovely, and the team is the best I’ve ever worked with. Everyone here is so supportive of each other and our patients.