For many of our patients, the Hospice isn’t just a place to receive treatment. It’s a place to escape the stigma of a terminal diagnosis, somewhere to relax and enjoy doing the things they love, and somewhere to feel like themselves again. For volunteer Susan Hannelly’s dad, Allen, Springhill was just that place. 

“He loved it, he really did. I don’t think he always joined in with the Day Therapies activities, but he enjoyed the company of the other patients and the change of scenery. He’d sit and read his book, listen to the others and even chat with the doctors sometimes. 

At home, my Dad had his own little workshop to escape to, and I think Day Therapies was an extension of this. He didn’t feel like he was coming in for treatment, in his mind he was coming in to relax.”

This wasn’t always the case though. Following his terminal diagnosis from the Christie, Allen told Susan he didn’t want to go to the Hospice. In his mind, it was just a place to die, and that wasn’t somewhere he wanted to be involved with in the last few months of his life.

“In the end, I think my Mum and I pressured him into going, and once we had a look around he realised it wasn’t at all like he had imagined. He had a look at the Day Therapies classes too, and we thought it might be the perfect day out for him.

It was also great for my Mum, as it meant that while my Dad was at Day Therapies – or daddy day care as we called it – we could spend some one on one time with her, take her shopping and help gain a little bit of normality.”

Sadly, Allen didn’t get the chance to utilise the Inpatient Unit Hospice services as he died during the Covid Pandemic, but he had a peaceful and quick death at home with his family around him. 

The last day my Dad was well enough, we sat out in the sunshine and enjoyed a bottle of wine, and I’ll always remember that. After Dad died, we all received bereavement counselling through the Hospice and it was such a tremendous help. And now I volunteer on the Inpatient Unit as a Patient Companion, and also offer Bereveament Support – so I’ve really come full circle with Springhill!”