Category: Hospice News
A Christmas message from our CEO, Chris Wheway
As 2022 comes to a close, I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported St Barnabas Hospice this year.
We appreciate every person and business who has been able to make a financial donation or fundraised for us, everyone who has participated in our events, every purchase made or item donated in our shops, every volunteer who gives their time to us, every gift given in kind, and every person who shares their experience with St Barnabas to help us spread awareness of the good work we do.
We know this year has been challenging for many, we are honoured to have your support and we are humbled by the kindness and generosity of the Lincolnshire community.
It’s been an exciting year for us, with the opening of our flagship charity shop The Warehouse in Lincoln and Boston’s Novak House, the re-launch of the Louth Wellbeing Centre and the incredible renovation of the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln. We also have seen some fantastic events including our fun Colour Dash, the poignant Torchlight Procession and many more.
The holiday season can be a difficult time of year for those who are experiencing grief, please don’t forget our services also include bereavement support for those who need it. This free support is available to everyone in Lincolnshire, not just those affected by hospice care.
On behalf of the entire St Barnabas Hospice team, I want to wish you a peaceful, happy Christmas, and thank you for your continued support.
From two weeks to live to being cancer-free: Stephanie’s incredible journey
Stephanie Box, 68, did not think she would see the end of summer 2020. Now, she is celebrating the festive season of 2022 with her family in Lincoln, thanks to the care given by St Barnabas Hospice.
In May 2020, Stephanie suffered from what she thought was bad indigestion and pain. She contacted her GP who gave advice, but the symptoms did not resolve. Consequently, she was advised to ring 999.
Stephanie says: “I had no idea I was ill; I was wheeled into an ambulance for an emergency operation to my bowel, which was blocked. When I woke up from the operation with a newly formed stoma, I was told I had bowel cancer. Nothing can prepare you for news like that.”
From there, Stephanie went through several operations on her bowel and liver where the cancer had spread and underwent chemotherapy. After seven weeks in the hospital, Stephanie was told there were no further treatment options. She was discharged to the care of the community palliative care teams to spend her last weeks with her cousin Jill and her family near Lincoln.
Jill and her husband Chris say: “This was during the height of Covid with lockdown restrictions, and it was so hard to get family members to come see her. Steph’s daughter would come from Birmingham to stay but her son lived abroad at the time, so he had to quarantine to be able to come over. It was difficult, but we knew it meant a lot to everyone to say what we thought would be goodbye.
“We did our very best to care for Steph and we were glad to do it, but she needed around the clock care, and we struggled. Steph was in unbearable pain and suffered from terrible nausea constantly, we were at a loss of what to do.”
St Barnabas Hospice and the community palliative care team provided support with symptom management. Doctor Weller, community palliative consultant, reviewed Stephanie’s care plan and medication, with the goal of making Stephanie as comfortable as possible.
Following these changes Stephanie began to improve. She went from being nursed in bed, to taking slow steps around the house and being able to enjoy the sunshine in the garden. Today, Stephanie can walk long distances and even drive again.
Stephanie says: “I am now cancer-free, with regular scans not showing any signs of concern for my oncologists. The only medication I now take is the occasional sleeping aid to help me through a difficult night, which is often down to anxiety, not physical symptoms. I can drive myself to Birmingham to see friends and family, and not long ago that would have been unthinkable.
“All the St Barnabas staff along the way were incredible, and Doctor Weller has worked a miracle. I am very grateful to every single clinician involved and for all the support I received. I’ve not had any need for the community care services of St Barnabas since early in the year but the Doctor and the team still stay in touch to make sure I’m alright, which is so lovely.
“I never expected to be able to celebrate Christmas in 2020, and despite everything it’s now 2022, with many more Christmases to look forward to!”
St Barnabas Staff Nurse Annie says: “After not seeing Steph for nine months, it’s such a joy to see her in such good health and smiling.
“It’s been a long journey for her and now she physically feels well, there’s some way to go yet. An experience like this is hard not just on the body but on the mind as well. If you have been diagnosed with a life limiting illness and need support, our counselling and wellbeing services are here to support you. Steph is looking radiant and I’m so happy she’s doing well.”
Each year, the charity provides free high-quality, compassionate, and dignified care to over 12,000 adults like Stephanie, with a life-limiting or terminal illness.
Please consider donating to St Barnabas Hospice so we may continue caring for people like Stephanie in your local community.
To donate, please visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/donate/
For every £1 we raise, 74p goes towards delivering and improving the care we provide, the other 26p goes towards generating future income.
If you are unable to make a donation, you can support us by shopping in our 25 county-wide charity shops, leave a gift to us in your will, play our lottery, volunteer for us or take part in a fundraiser.
Below, L-R: Nurse Annie, Chris, Stephanie, Jill, nurse Kate
Rowan the reindeer-pony delights Inpatient Unit staff
On Tuesday 20th December, Rowan the pony made a festive visit to the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit in Lincoln to bring Christmas cheer to the hardworking cl
inical staff there.
The little pony was dressed up in antlers, with a jingling bell on her nose and tinsel around her neck in place of reins.
Rowan is a 7-year-old Welsh Section A pony and was brought in by St Barnabas MDT Administrator Sarah Smith, whose friends Rosalyn and Malcolm Dawson keep the lovely pony in a pasture in Market Rasen. The couple lets Sarah, her daughter Amelia and son Jack use the pony as their own and as such they are very attached to one another.
Sarah says: “Rowan is such a wonderful girl, she’s so gentle and loves a fuss and a treat. Some of the nurses fed her peppermints today and she’s very pleased about that, she gobbles them right up. Rowan seems to be having a great time playing the role of a reindeer today and getting lots of attention!
“It’s the first time Rowan has been out and about meeting people, and she’s so calm. She’s used to visitors coming to her in the field she shares with four other ponies, including my pony Pearl who’s a fair bit bigger than Rowan so couldn’t come into the Unit today. When the weather gets better, I hope Pearl can come along to visit the St Barnabas team, I wouldn’t want her to get jealous of Rowan getting all the attention!
“I want to say thank you to Rosalyn and Malcolm for letting us bring Rowan in. Added thanks go to Sarah Cumberland who owns Sunny Side Stables in Snarford and kindly provided the horse box for today and to my friend Jackie Howard for the monetary donation towards the fuel for today.
“It’s a wonderful team effort and we’re so happy that Rowan put a big smile on the faces of the Hospice staff! They work so hard, and they do an incredible job, so it’s great to give something back. The ponies have been a rock to me during sad times, they are just there and instantly know when you need comfort.
“If we have made one person’s day today, then it has all been worthwhile.”
Twelve ways to cope at Christmas following a bereavement
St Barnabas Hospice has put together a helpful guide for those coping with a bereavement this Christmas.
Here at St Barnabas Hospice, we know that Christmas can be an especially difficult time for those going through a bereavement. Whether this is your first Christmas after a bereavement, or you were bereaved some time ago, the Hospice has provided twelve helpful ways to cope this year.
Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing at St Barnabas, said: “We understand how painful this time of year can be and would like to share our tips for coping with bereavement at Christmas. We provide free, local support throughout the year for all adults in the community who may be struggling with a bereavement, regardless of whether they have accessed our services or not.
The St Barnabas Wellbeing team are here to provide free support to people coping with a bereavement across Lincolnshire, regardless of whether their loved one received hospice care or not. To refer yourself to this service, call 0300 303 1897. For this Christmas period, this line is open Saturday 24th December, Monday 26th December (Boxing day) to Saturday 31st December, 11am – 3pm. Our service will then return to our normal hours of Monday to Friday – 11am to 3pm, from the 3rd January.
If you are in need of bereavement support outside of those hours, please use these services:
- Lincolnshire Mental Health Hub 0800 001 4331
- Samaritans 116 123
- https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/
The St Barnabas tips for coping with bereavement at Christmas are:
Tips for Coping with Grief at Christmas and New Year
- Give yourself permission to cry or be emotional – it’s ok to show your feelings.
- Acknowledge that the holidays will be different, and they may be tough.
- Include the person in some way – perhaps light a candle or raise a toast. Visit stbarnabashospice.co.uk/light-up-a-life to dedicate a light in memory of a loved one on their Tree of Life. They will send you a handwritten, personalised card and silver star tree decoration so you can include your loved one in Christmas celebrations and memories.
- Decide which traditions you want to keep and which you want to change. Think about creating a new tradition in memory of your loved one.
- Be honest. Tell people what you DO want to do and what you DON’T want to do and spend time with people who support you with this.
- Decide where you want to spend Christmas. Remember that the way others will want to spend the holiday may not match how you want to spend it. We all grieve differently and that’s ok.
- Don’t feel guilty: about declining invitations or skipping events, it may just feel too much; if you have not sent cards this year. Writing a card without a loved one can be difficult; if you skip or minimise the decorations.
- Ignore the people that tell you what you “should” be doing. Listen to yourself, trust yourself, communicate with your family and do what feels right for you.
- Practice self care: Watch your food intake. Food can make you feel better in the short term but don’t allow it to become your Christmas comfort; Alcohol can heighten emotions and may raise anxiety levels so be careful how much you consume; Go for a walk; Take time out to yourself if you need too.
- Ask for and accept help. There will be people who want to help and may offer their support. Take them up on their offers. If people aren’t offering, ask. It can be a relief for you and the person who you have asked for help.
- Enjoy yourself! The holidays will be tough, but there will also be love and joy.
- Remember, it is okay to be happy – this doesn’t diminish how much you love and miss the person who isn’t there this Christmas. Don’t feel guilty for the joy you do find this holiday season
St Barnabas Hospice loves hearts
You may have seen hearts are everywhere at St Barnabas. But why?
They are of course the chosen shape for our upcoming HeART Trail, but hearts can also be found in our buildings and in our literature as part of our branding.
When you meet them, many of our team carry heart-shaped pin badges on their lanyards, and on top of that we even have heart-shaped stress balls!
One of St Barnabas Hospice’s values is to Have Heart and people are at the centre of all we do. We’re proud of our ability to work in tough situations with resilience, empathy, and kindness.
We are passionate about providing free care to adults living with a terminal or life-limiting illness and we support over 12,000 people across Lincolnshire each year – patients, but also their family members, friends, and carers.
Lisa Hartley from Spalding has heart failure as a result of multiple conditions and has been receiving support from St Barnabas Hospice since 2020, after she was given 48 hours to live.
Lisa says: “I managed to walk out of the hospital two weeks later to a home that I didn’t think I would ever see again.
“Ever since, St Barnabas has been providing me with medical care, as well as counselling, help with my mobility and I was even given advice on improving my family’s financial situation, which had been worrying me further.
“It’s now over two and a half years since I first got support from St Barnabas. It has not been an easy journey; I currently take 76 pills a day and my health and overall wellbeing change daily.
“But thanks to St Barnabas, I can keep on being me.”
If you want to follow your heart, please donate: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/donate/
Every penny and pound donated by you today will help us to continue providing care in your local community and to people like Lisa.
£4,636 raised for St Barnabas at Lincoln Christmas Market
St Barnabas Hospice are delighted to have raised over £4,636 during the four days of the Lincoln Christmas Market, which ran from Thursday the 1st until Sunday 4th December in Lincoln’s historic uphill area.
As announced last month, the Hospice was chosen as the Market’s very first charity partner by organisers City of Lincoln Council. A traditional wooden cabin in a prime spot outside the Lincoln Cathedral was made available for St Barnabas, and volunteers were able to collect donations from Market visitors through bucket collections.
Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery at St Barnabas Hospice, says: “We are very grateful to the Council for choosing us as their charity partner, it is a wonderful collaboration between two organisations that are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.
“Staff and volunteers had a fantastic time at the Market, the support from visitors both local and from further afield has been amazing and we are so thankful to everyone who purchased something or donated into our buckets. We also want to thank our volunteers who helped throughout the event, we couldn’t do without their support.
“We had on sale a wonderful selection of Christmas gifts including bottles of Est.1982 Rum and Gin which local distillery Pin Gin created for our 40th anniversary, as well as celebratory Ruby Coffee Blend and gift hampers by The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company. These items and more can be bought in our online shop: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/shop/onlineshop/
“Throughout the month, we will be attending events across the county so people can come see us and browse our range of gifts. As ongoing Charity Partners of the Waterside Shopping Centre, we will be there with a stall on 8th and 9th December and back again on the 15th and 16th December.
“And of course our 25 Lincolnshire-based charity shops are open to pick up festive outfits and gifts, homeware, and much more!”
The cabin that St Barnabas occupied outside the Cathedral during the market was located right by the beautiful Tree of Life, which is part the charity’s annual Light Up a Life campaign. This poignant initiative sees families and friends remember loved ones lost by dedicating a light in their name, which then joins thousands of others on the Tree.
Supporters who dedicate a light also receive a lovely wooden decoration for their Christmas tree, a handwritten thank you card from the St Barnabas team, and a digital tribute to share the dedication across their own social media pages.
The campaign is open for the entire festive season, and the Tree will be available to visit until early January. To find out more about Light up a Life or to dedicate a light, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/light-up-a-life/
Hundreds take part in breathtaking Torchlight Procession
Yesterday, Tuesday 22nd November, hundreds of people came together in the historic uphill area of Lincoln for the annual St Barnabas Hospice Light up a Life – Torchlight Procession, in remembrance of loved ones.
The Procession was led by the RAF Waddington Pipe band, with people of all ages following whilst holding flaming torches and light-up lanterns. Together, they walked the route from Clayton’s Sports Grounds to Lincoln Cathedral, creating a beautiful atmosphere that saw many supporters feeling visibly emotional as they paid tribute to those no longer with us.
As is tradition for the Procession, a brief stop took place at the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit on Nettleham Road, where a lone piper started a moving rendition of Amazing Grace before being joined in by the rest of the band. Patients, staff, and volunteers at the Inpatient Unit were able to enjoy this emotive display from the comfort of the recently refurbished Hospice building.
Once the Procession arrived at the Lincoln Cathedral several representatives of St Barnabas Hospice, delivered short speeches. Chief Executive Chris Wheway said: “This is my eighth year, and it never ceases to be such an amazing, powerful experience.
“I was thinking of the statement ‘the price of love is grief’ and it’s an honour that you would share that with us. By coming together, as a community we are standing tall and we are standing with the people we have lost. They never leave us, they are always with us, in our hearts and in every part of our life.
“We are honoured to serve you and be with you when you are at your most vulnerable. We believe that good palliative care is a human right and I stand by that. Thank you all for tonight, for being here with us and sharing this moment.”
Attendees were able to write Messages of Love and tie them to the railings of the 30-foot Tree of Life outside Lincoln Cathedral, sending a special message to the loved ones they will never forget.
In attendance was the Lyon family from S Lyon and Son, who through St Barnabas shared their story of losing their much-loved daughter, mother, sister, and friend Sharon. Upon the Procession’s arrival, Sharon’s sister-in-law Sally Lyon brought the flaming torch forward from the crowd to the front of the Cathedral and lit the ceremonial torch that burned throughout the service.
Louise Cotton, Fundraising Officer, and project lead for the Torchlight Procession, said: “This is such a poignant event, and it has been an incredibly moving evening.
“It means a lot to the people of Lincolnshire, and us at St Barnabas, to be able to come together in remembrance and reflect on those no longer with us. Many of our supporters have been attending the Procession for years, and it’s wonderful to see them bring along their children or grandchildren.
“We encourage those who were unable to attend the Torchlight Procession to visit the Tree of Life for a moment of reflection, which will be outside the Cathedral until early January.
“We want to thank everyone who walked the Procession or supported us via Light up a Life dedications, your support really makes a difference in our mission to support people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness all across the county.”
For the past month, St Barnabas have encouraged members of the community to dedicate a light in the name of a loved one lost through their Light up a Life appeal and these dedicated lights now shine brightly on the Tree of Life.
This appeal will stay open throughout the whole festive period, with supporters receiving a personalised handwritten card, a star-shaped tree decoration and a digital tribute to share on their social media pages to spread the word about their dedication.
To dedicate a light, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/light-up-a-life
So far, Light up a Life has raised over £33,658, and St Barnabas thank everyone who has dedicated a light, walked in the Torchlight Procession, or donated to their cause.
Louise adds: “Each year Light up a Life is supported far beyond what we could ever imagine by individuals, the local community, businesses and organisations, for which we are forever grateful. Without this support we simply couldn’t do what we do, so thank you to all.”
With special thanks to all volunteers, runners, stewards, Doddington Hall & Gardens, Allen Signs, Lincoln Cathedral, Our Lady of Lincoln Church, City of Lincoln Council Maintenance Services, Continental Landscapes, S. Lyon & Son Haulage Ltd, BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, RAF Waddington Pipe Band, TSS Events, Taylor Lindsey, Stamford Sound Hire, Bates Sound, Flying Hire Ltd, Lindum Rotary Club, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, Annie Griffith and her Community Choirs, The Towel Hotel, Mr and Mrs N Kirk, Ruddocks, St. Mary Magdalene’s, Lincolnshire Co op, Davis Trackhire, The Subdean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, Community 4×4 Response in Lincolnshire, SRP Hire Solutions, Kurnia Aerial Photography and Highways and Planning.
Photography by Andrew Scott, Kurnia Aerial Photography and Stuart Wilde
St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit reopens after renovation
The Hospice’s Inpatient Unit on Nettleham Road in Lincoln has reopened its doors after several months of refurbishment works which started in the summer.
On Friday 11th November an exclusive reopening event took place to officially mark the occasion, with the first patients admitted to the Hospice from today, 14th November.
The 150-year-old building required essential maintenance and St Barnabas took this opportunity to implement a series of modern features to further improve the quality of comfort to patients and create a homely and cosy ambience. This includes a beautiful skylight feature in the stairway, restful images, opened-up spaces, new furniture and lighting, and much more.
The reopening event was attended by special guests including John Turner, Chief Executive of the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), who officially reopened the building.
Mr Turner said: “I am delighted to be here today and offer support to the Hospice on behalf of myself and the NHS. St Barnabas have a fantastic track record of being really significant partners in our efforts to give the best health and care we can across the whole county. The Hospice cares for people and their families during the most difficult times of their lives, and I take my hat off to all staff and volunteers.”
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive of St Barnabas Hospice, said in his welcome speech: “The new environment is carefully designed around our vision of high-quality, dignified, and compassionate care. We are now taking patients referrals through their healthcare professionals, and we look forward to again give outstanding care to those who need it in our community. This has been a long journey with a lot of work involved and we want to extend a big thank you to our contractors Miller Knight, who have been superb.”
Picture below: L-R John Turner and Chris Wheway
Matthew Flower, Regeneration Director at Miller Knight, said: “As a business we are passionate about supporting St Barnabas and the charity means a lot to me personally on many levels. This facility is so important to the community, and the refurbishment had to be done right. We worked hard, and we are proud that we delivered a great result on time.”
Vic Haskell, owner of air-conditioning company Haskell & Co, was invited to attend the event and take a look around the refurbished building. He kindly donated and fitted two air-con units, after being moved by the outstanding care his partner received in the Hospice last year.
Vic says: “It was summer, and the room my partner Diane stayed in did not have air-conditioning, so it got quite hot. The care she received was ‘true care’, the nursing staff were totally amazing. There was always somebody on hand to help her and nothing was too much trouble. I can’t praise them enough, simple as that.
“Air-conditioning is my business and I thought this was the best way to help St Barnabas. The value of these units and the installation is about £7,000 and I’m very happy to have been able to support the Hospice and further improve the comfort of their patients. After my experience, St Barnabas is now my company’s preferred charity.”
The care at the Inpatient Unit is available free of charge to patients in Lincolnshire who require around-the-clock care. Referrals to the Hospice can only be made via healthcare professionals– please contact your GP or other medical provider for more information.
Would you like to make a real difference to patients, their visitors, and carers? St Barnabas are looking for Ward Volunteers who can help serve patients meals and drinks, keep nutritional diaries, and maintain a tidy environment, amongst other vital tasks.
If you are interested in this voluntary role, please find more information and apply by downloading the job description here.
Happy 40th Anniversaries: Lincoln Christmas Market chooses St Barnabas as Charity Partner
St Barnabas Hospice are delighted to have been chosen by City of Lincoln Council to be the Lincoln Christmas Market’s very first Charity Partner. Both organisations are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year and have been highly regarded and much loved by the local communities for all those years.
Taking place from Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th December in the beautiful and historic Bailgate area, the Lincoln Christmas Market welcomes hundreds of thousands visitors every year and is one of the most loved events in Lincolnshire.
St Barnabas will be in attendance, occupying a traditional wooden cabin by the Lincoln Cathedral where the charity will have their annual Tree of Life on full display. The Tree of Life is part of the Hospice’s Light Up a Life campaign, which sees families and friends join together to remember loved ones they have lost. The charity’s Torchlight Procession will take place a week before the Christmas Market on 22nd November.
The Hospice is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and are proud to help over 12,000 people across Lincolnshire each year by providing free, compassionate, dignified palliative and end-of-life care, as well as wellbeing services such as bereavement support, counselling, and welfare and benefits advice.
Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery at St Barnabas says: “It is serendipitous that both St Barnabas and the Lincoln Christmas Market are celebrating a 40th anniversary this year.
“We will be selling a selection of amazing items including our special anniversary Est.1982 Ruby Gin and Ruby Rum created by Pin Gin, our bespoke Ruby Coffee blend by The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company, a range of Christmas cards, baubles, tickets to the special Morriston Choir concert at the Cathedral in March, and much more. We will also gratefully accept any donations through our bucket collection.
“We sincerely thank the City of Lincoln Council for choosing us, it means the world to us to have the support of the Council and local communities. We look forward to an extra special Christmas Market and hope to see many of our supporters there.”
Cllr Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economic Growth at City of Lincoln Council added: “It is an incredible special year for us at the Lincoln Christmas Market and we are proud to welcome St Barnabas as our first Christmas Market Charity Partner as we both celebrate 40 years.
“Lincoln Christmas Market started with just 11 stalls and is now a very well recognised event not only across the county but the country.
“To celebrate 40 years, we have a host of new elements to the market, including a new stage area, a special opening ceremony at Noon on the first day of the market and of course, our first charity partnership.
“I look forward to welcoming visitors to what we hope will be the best Christmas market yet.”
Lincoln IPU Refurbishment and Re-opening Update
St Barnabas Hospice is pleased to announce that the planned works to refurbish the Inpatient Unit has reached its conclusion.
Miller Knight and colleagues have worked well to keep the project on track.
The IPU Team are now working together to ensure we have a smooth transition to final completion. The unit is looking bright and modern but continues to offer a warm, welcoming, homely feel that will enhance the experience of patients, visitors, and staff.
Plans are in place to ensure we can reopen to patient admissions in the safest way possible. Staff will be returning from their placements over the next two weeks and equipment, medicines and supplies reinstated.
As such, we envisage that the work will be fully complete for us to accept referrals from the afternoon of Friday 11th November, with admissions accepted from Monday 14th November.
How to refer to the Inpatient Unit
Our trusted referral process remains unchanged; as such, they can be submitted via SystmOne (and tasking ‘IPU referrals’ to notify the team) or by completion of the referral proforma which should be emailed to [email protected]
For urgent referrals, please call the team on 01522 511566.
The team are looking forward to welcoming our patients and families.