Every week one of our volunteer drivers collects April from her home and drops her off at Katharine House so she can spend a day in our day hospice. She loves coming to the hospice because she can chat to other people who are going through the same challenges as she is. She also says she loves the day hospice because of the freshly-cooked meals and endless cups of tea. We sat down for a chat with her over tea and her favourite biscuits and asked her to tell us the difference Katharine House makes to her.

 

“With everything I’m facing, I just want to live. Katharine House is about living, and making every day worthwhile. When I come to day hospice I can draw, paint, and make music, or I can just sit and chat to the nurses and other patients about gardening or the royal wedding. My favourite thing to do is to visit the chapel for one of the services – my church has a lot of steps which I can’t manage any longer, so it’s very important to me to be able to meet James the chaplain every week. Those little things just make all the difference. If I didn’t have somewhere like Katharine House to come to I’d just be lost.”

April also had some kind words for staff and volunteers at the hospice, as well as for the many fundraisers in our community who help raise the £11,000 we need each day to keep our services running. She said;

 

“I can’t thank everyone at Katharine House enough. They’re all so kind and hard working – from the doctors and nursing staff, to the cooks and people upstairs in fundraising.

I would like to thank everybody who donates and organises their fundraising events too. I wouldn’t be able to come here without them and I can’t thank them enough for everything they do for me and the other patients.”

You can find out more about our day hospice by clicking here.