I remember going to the Christmas Day service when I was 12 or 13 at the old hospice on Shrublands Road. I was quite struck that it didn’t feel like a hospital. They pushed in a couple of the patients’ beds and sang carols.”
“I think Mum guided me into this to some extent. As I got a bit older, Mum would tell me stories of the people that she’d seen. I remember asking her at the time how she dealt with it. She said that emotionally it can be very difficult when patients have a similar life story to you. Or if they’re in a similar phase in their life.”
“When I was 19, I worked as a healthcare assistant in a care home. I realised it’s so rewarding to look after people who can’t care for themselves anymore. I also learned that a huge part of the role is about supporting relatives. I understood quite early on that doing a medical degree wouldn’t necessarily mean I was going to cure people. But you can be a real pillar to support people at a time in their lives.”
“As part of my GP training, I worked in a hospice for six months and I loved it so much. When this job [at The Hospice of St Francis] came up, it was almost fate that I had to apply. I genuinely feel that this is one of the only places I’ve worked where everybody is still very passionate about what they do. I love that we have a close-knit team. I often leave work and think about how lucky I am in my own life and how important every day is.”
“I think working in a hospice is a really humbling experience. Mum is retired now, but we often talk about my work. She has a special understanding of what I do.”
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