Woman calls on people to support 'amazing' St Giles Hospice where her grandfather received care
A woman whose beloved grandfather died at a hospice in Staffordshire has called on people to support the "amazing" charity which cared for him.
Martha Davies, aged 24, has supported St Giles Hospice since her grandfather Alan Bird received end of life care at their hospice site in Whittington.
Now the NHS communications officer has called on people to do what they can and donate to ensure patients and families are well-looked after.
The 24-year-old said: "St Giles is such an amazing local charity and they recognise that good end of life care is so important, not only for the patient, but for the whole family too.
"My Grandpa had been there for me all my life, and it means so much that I was able to be there with him in the last moments of his. It’s the moments together that matter the most."
Mr Bird was diagnosed with cancer and in 2018 was admitted to St Giles Hospice in Whittington for end of life care. Martha was left devastated by his illness but was comforted by the "truly personal care" she – and other members of the family – received from the charity in his final days and after he died.
Martha, from Sutton Coldfield, said: "I absolutely worshipped my Grandpa and the staff understood that and treated him just as our family would’ve wanted. It’s hard to express just how much Grandpa’s amazing care meant to us as a family. You simply can’t put a price on the love, support and peace of mind that we all received.
"Every member of staff was a specialist in their field and we trusted them completely. It was so reassuring for us as a family. When we left the hospice we never had to worry – we always knew that Grandpa would be cared for just as attentively and lovingly as though we ourselves were still at his bedside.
"We could concentrate on being with Grandpa until the end, knowing that all his needs were taken care of and, when the time came, we were given all the time we needed to say goodbye to him and begin to grieve.
"It’s vital for everyone to support St Giles; you just never know when you might need their care. Nobody plans on becoming seriously ill, nobody plans on dying, but because of the support of the local community, St Giles can be there for patients and families when they’re at their most vulnerable."
As well as fundraising for the hospice, Martha also joined the hospice's weekly lottery and received a phone call a couple of months later telling her she'd won the £1,000 weekly jackpot.
"I like to think that he’s looking out for me even now and used the lottery as a way to make sure I’m alright even though he’s no longer here," she added.
Chloe Herbert, head of fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: "The support of local people means so much to the patients and families supported by St Giles, particularly when our income has been so badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 18 months.
"There are so many different ways to support St Giles and we’d like to say a big thank you to our community for ensuring that we are able to provide care for patients and their families living with a terminal illness. We are hoping our community will be there for us again this summer, supporting Martha’s Moments Together campaign to help the hospice care for more families like hers in the future."
For more information about St Giles Hospice visit stgileshospice.com/momentstogether