Wednesday 31 March 2010

Matters of life and death

I think most of us prefer not to think about death. We don't want to think that it will happen to us, or to those that we love. But we know that death is an inevitable part of life, and how we experience our death is of vital importance to us and to our loved ones.

Around 70% of people say that they want to die at home, but 60% of people die in hospital. If we do not discuss our wishes, we cannot expect our family and friends to be able to support us in our choices for our end of life care.

On Monday 12th April, Dr. Kershaw's Hospice will be holding a 'Dying Matters' event. This will give you the chance to talk to healthcare professionals, spiritual advisors, and other professionals invovled with end of life care. You will be able to get advice on how to plan your choices, and discuss these with your loved ones.

This is not an event for people who are about to die, and not an event to be scared of. Death is a part of life for everyone, and planning for it doesn't bring it closer. Everyone should have the opportunity to plan their end of life care the way they want it. The event will be held in a friendly, relaxed environment, for anyone to come along and share their thoughts with us. It will take place from 1pm - 4pm at the hospice. Come and say hello!

Part of understanding death involves appreciating life. We all have to make the most of the time that we have. So to celebrate the importance of getting the most out of life, we are holding a 'Bucket List' competition. Tell us your top 5 things that you want to do during your life, and you could win a 25 mile helicopter ride, courtesy of Pennine Helicopters! Call 0161 624 9984, or email your list to allegra@drkershawshospice.org.uk

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Internet Takeover!

We all know how important hospice care is. Hopices provide vital support to local people, at times when their need is greatest. All care and support for patients and their families is provided completely free of charge. But whereas most hospices receive a small amount of funding from the NHS, the vast majority of the money needed to keep every hospice going must come from fundraising activities.

Here at Dr. Kershaw's Hospice, the Appeals team needs to raise £1,300,000 every year to allow the hospice to continue providing care to the people of Oldham. We could not do what we do without support from local people and businesses.

We are aiming to raise awareness of the need for local support, and to demonstrate how much people care about their local hospice, by staging a takeover of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace.

If you would like to show your support for your local hospice, purchase a yellow wristband from the Appeals Office for just £1, then on Monday 24th May change your Facebook, MySpace or other profile picture to a photo of you wearing the wristband. Send us your picture, or post a comment on our Facebook page so that we can see your photo - there will be a prize for the best one. Keep them family-friendly please, people!

To get your wristband, send £1 along with a note stating 'Dr. Kershaw's Hospice Internet Takeover' and your name, address, and telephone number, to Allegra Holbrook, Appeals Office, Dr. Kershaw's Hospice, Turf Lane, Royton, Oldham, OL2 6EU.

Help us turn the internet yellow!