“The care we received that Christmas was beyond exceptional”

Local charity, Treetops Hospice Care, is asking the people of Derby and Derbyshire to support their Hospice at Home service this Christmas with a moving appeal for donations.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, experienced Treetops nurses will be on call to provide care in patients’ own homes and ensure they are comfortable, free from pain and hopefully well enough to enjoy the festivities with their loved ones.

The Treetops Christmas Appeal is asking for donations of any size towards the Hospice at Home service, which was a ‘lifeline’ for Elaine Parkin when her husband Peter became terminally ill as she explained:

“Peter was a friendly, happy-go-lucky man and was really looking forward to spending more time with our family when he retired, so it was a shock when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer not long after.

“By December 2014, Peter was bedbound and very weak. My life completely revolved around looking after him and, as the holidays approached, Peter’s care needs steadily increased. I was determined that he would not end up in hospital and I became his primary carer with support from my family.”

It was at this point that Elaine was referred to Treetops Hospice Care:

“I can’t tell you what a relief it was. For Peter, it meant that he could be cared for in his own home over Christmas – in the place we’d made such happy memories and where he could be comfortable in familiar surroundings.

“And for me, it was an enormous help. It wasn’t until the Treetops nurses took over some of the nighttime care that I realised how tired I’d been looking after Peter. They enabled me to get some sleep at night, which allowed me to care for him to my full ability during the day.

“The care we received that Christmas was beyond exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble for the nurses. They were constantly looking for ways to take pressure off me too, so that I could have a rest and be ready for the next day.

“Peter was only 67 when he passed away in January 2015 – but, we got to have one last family Christmas together. And that was made possible by the fantastic support from Treetops Hospice Care. They were our lifeline and I can’t say enough good things about them.”

Phil Shreeve, director of clinical services at Treetops explained why the Christmas Appeal is so important to the charity:

“All our services are provided completely free of charge. What many people don’t realise is that we are not part of the NHS – we’re an independent charity and so we have to raise funding ourselves through donations, fundraising and other sources.

“We’re simply asking people to please consider making a donation towards some of the care we provide this Christmas to the people of Derbyshire.”

Those interested in making a donation towards Treetops Hospice Care’s Christmas Appeal 2016 can do so online through Just Giving – www.justgiving.co.uk

Treetops Hospice Care provides nursing care and emotional support for adults and their families in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. All services are provided for free and include Support and Information, Day Care, Hospice at Home and Therapeutic Services including counselling and complementary therapies.