Scottish Catholic Observer

As another year nears an end, we reflect on the lives St Margaret of Scotland Hospice has touched this year and on those who have touched the life of the hospice.

Each day, the hospice continues to provide the highest standard of care to patients and their families and friends. St Margaret of Scotland Hospice is the first hospice to open in Scotland and the largest, providing 58 in-patients beds for palliative care and care of the older adult with complex medical and nursing needs. The hospice is approaching the 65th Anniversary of its opening in Clydebank and looks forward to continuing to provide care to those who are most in need, which has been its mission since opening its doors in a house across the road in 1950.

The care extends to Edwina Bradley Day Hospice, community specialist palliative care, out-patient facilities and counselling services. Our approach to providing care is holistic, taking into account the uniqueness of the individual and the spiritual, physical, psychological and social needs of both patients and their carers.

During the year, the hospice cares for more than 500 patients and these patients are all living with a life-limiting illness. The hospice provides the care that allows patients to live their lives to the fullest.

November is a month which is very much about remembrance and this culminates at the hospice on Sunday November 30—the first Sunday in advent—with the lighting of the Christmas Tree at our Light Up a Life service (above main), when we share memories and think of our loved ones who are no longer with us.

Each of the two thousand lights on the Christmas Tree will be sponsored to remember much loved relatives or friends. The lights on the Christmas Tree will be continuously illuminated from Sunday November 30 until Tuesday January 6. The suggested donation is £5 per light and a Christmas card will be sent to either a chosen family member or yourself confirming your light is shining on our tree.

We hope you will be able to join us at our Light Up a Life Service on Sunday November 30 at 6.30pm in the grounds of the hospice. Together, we can remember and light up our lives.

From November 28 through to December 24, the hospice’s Christmas bus will tour the local community with staff and volunteers who will be dressed in costumes to fundraise for the hospice.

The Christmas Bus is a major annual fundraising event for the hospice and generates a substantial amount of money towards the running costs of the hospice. When the Christmas bus tours the local areas, children love to see it come along their street and it also raises awareness of the hospice.

At weekends when the bus is parked in Glasgow or at a Shopping Centre, children and adults/ guardians are able to come on board the Christmas Bus to visit Santa and his helper, adding an extra special touch of Christmas magic. The Christmas bus will be touring east and west Dunbartonshire and Glasgow’s west end, in addition to Glasgow city centre and Braehead Shopping Centre.

On Tuesday December 9 the Grand Car Raffle will be drawn at the hospice. Tickets (£5) are on sale at the hospice and are also available in the hospice shops. Phoenix Car company has generously supported the Grand Car Raffle by providing a five door Suzuki Alto 1.1 litre as the first prize and there are three other prizes—£1000, £500 and an iPad.

The hospice has also been greatly supported throughout the year by many people who wish to fundraise to help raise the necessary funds that the hospice requires to continue to care for the patients.

This year, Gary and Rachel Connell trekked the Pyrenees to raise funds for the Hospice. They set themselves the challenge to walk the GR11 route, setting off on June 22 and successfully completing on August 17.

Before they set off, Gary explained: “My wife, Rachel, and I are taking the opportunity to go a long distance walk and hope to raise the profile of (and funds for) St Margaret of Scotland Hospice as a result. We are going to walk the complete GR11 route—an 840km trek across the Spanish

Pyrenees. We will start at the lighthouse at Cabo Higuer on the Atlantic Coast on Sunday June 22 and finish at Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean Coast at the end of August/beginning of September. The walk will have a total ascent/descent of 39,000m with some days climbing of up to 1600m.”

“St Margaret of Scotland Hospice is a charity close to our heart,” Gary added. “My maternal grandmother, Mary Reid, spent her last months there in 1996 before passing away peacefully after a terminal illness. The care and professionalism afforded to her was first class and still is to this day. We also have a friend currently residing in the hospice—Eva Maas. We were fortunate to be invited to Eva’s 90th birthday over a year ago, but unfortunately her health has deteriorated and she

is now being comforted with St Margaret’s tremendously high standard of care. Lastly, I received some great news from my employer, AMEC, whom have allowed me the time off to undertake this challenge. They have agreed to match whatever amount we raise up to a total of 33,000. So for every £1 raised, the charity will get £2—no amount is too little!”

Following their trek, Gary shared that they had a wonderful experience however they had to be aware of snakes, wild boar and even bears and wolves! They also had to take a detour to find a cobbler after four weeks because Gary had worn completely through the soles of his boots!

So far, Gary and Rachel have raised the wonderful amount of £1545 and Gary’s employer, AMEC, is providing matched funding, which takes their total to £3090—well above their original target of £1000.

Gary and Rachel’s photographs from their trek are available to view on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/garyrachelgr11 and the closing date for their fundraising is set for December 1. There is still time to donate to their Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/gary-connell1979.

Finally, Healthcare Improvement Scotland published its report on October 30 following an unannounced inspection visit of St Margaret of Scotland Hospice that took place on September 3 and 4.

The board of the hospice, the management team and staff, and the volunteers and supporters are delighted to note that Healthcare Improvement Scotland found the hospice—Scotland’s oldest and largest—to be excellent in every category and made no requirements or recommendations. This is another outstanding and unparalleled report.

Professor Leo Martin, chairman of St Margaret of Scotland Hospice, commented: “The excellent care that we provide is only made possible by the great generosity of our supporters for which I, on behalf of the Hospice, am greatly thankful.”

“The inspection team were very professional, thorough, respectful and unobtrusive,” Sr Rita Dawson, chief executive of St Margaret of

Scotland Hospice added. “The inspectors spoke with the professor and medical staff, nursing staff including auxiliary nurses, housekeepers, staff nurses, ward managers, the IT manager, administration staff, maintenance, the senior management team and the vice chairman. Our staff were extremely comfortable when meeting the inspectors and they were made to feel at complete ease; this makes a big difference. A number of patients and visitors were also interviewed over the two-day inspection.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our service. We are all a big team and it is affirming to have someone completely independent validate all of our hard work. As I always say to my staff, the hospice is here for the patients and their families. Without the wonderful support of the board of directors, staff and volunteers, the hospice would not be the place it is today. For this, on behalf of the Sisters of Charity, I am truly grateful.”

— Please contact the hospice on 0141 952 1141 or 0141 435 7018 for further information or to request a Light Up a Life order form

— http://www.smh.org.uk