Urgent appeal from Mid Sussex hospice for support as it faces ‘biggest challenge in its history’
St Peter & St James Hospice, based in North Chailey and serving Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and the surrounding villages, offers a range of expert services to support adults living with terminal illness as well as their families.
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Hide AdSince the charity receives limited government funding its finances have been severely affected with the temporary closure of charity shops and the cancellation of fundraising events during the coronavirus lockdown.
The charity described the situation as the ‘biggest challenge in its history’ due to an unprecedented estimated minimum loss of £1.35million over the coming months.
For the duration of the pandemic, its community support and wellbeing services are being delivered remotely and by telephone, while the inpatient ward, where people are admitted for either symptom control or end of life care, remains open with thorough hygiene and infection prevention measures in place for all.
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Hide AdAs well as continuing to care for its own patients, the team will be supporting the wider nursing effort in Sussex, stepping in to look after vulnerable people transferred to the hospice from local hospitals, to help free up urgent care beds for those in the community who require them for Covid-19 treatment.
Claire Birnage, a nurse on the ward, is the face of the charity’s Covid-19 Emergency Appeal and is urging people where they can to give generously to support the hospice through the crisis and futureproof its vital services.
She said: “This pandemic is impacting all of us, but for vulnerable local people with terminal illness, those who love them, and for our charity as a whole, this is an extremely worrying time.
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Hide Ad“I never imagined I would be nursing under these circumstances, but my colleagues and I will continue to provide the expert and compassionate care we are so proud of.
“Sadly, impacting everybody staying here, there are going to be many occasions where families cannot be together over the coming weeks.
“We will do our very best to facilitate connection between families and friends in other ways, and will bring everyone we look after as much love, comfort, joy and reassurance as we possibly can during the unsettling days ahead.
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Hide Ad“I am incredibly proud to be on the frontline during this effort, and to be easing the pressure on our local hospitals, but to put it simply, we cannot do this alone.
“We rely on our generous community to cover over 80 per cent of the hospice’s running costs and now – more than ever – as we find ourselves in this extraordinary state of emergency, I need them to stand with us and give generously.”
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