Meet The Need Appeal

Graphic which reads "across the uk the unmet need for hospice care is currently around 50%. We are working to bridge this gap, but we need your support"

A real impact

Could fund 90 minutes of care

of a child psychotherapist’s time, helping them understand and cope with their grief.

Could fund two hours of care

by a Community Nurse Specialist, helping patients manage pain, discomfort, and emotional distress.

Could fund three hours of care

on our Inpatient Unit, where complex needs are assessed and managed.

Debbie and David's story

Debbie's prognosis

On the day of their 33rd wedding anniversary, Debbie and David were told she had two incurable tumours on her brain. Debbie was given a prognosis of only weeks. The news came as a shock to the couple, who had been looking forward to spending time together in retirement.

Support from Dorothy House

Nurse Specialist, Louise McCusker, supported Debbie through her illness at home, and as Debbie became more unwell, additional support was offered. Catherine provided physiotherapy sessions, showing David techniques they could practice which would help Debbie to feel more comfortable.

Debbie's peaceful death

In the last week of Debbie’s life, our Hospice at Home carers sat with Debbie through the night, providing support and companionship, allowing David to rest. In the end, Debbie’s death was peaceful, surrounded at home by David and their children.

“Without Hospice at Home we would have been lost as a family. It’s an incredible organisation, full of amazing people. The carers that visited us conducted themselves with such love.

They offered practical help and guided and prepared us in a gentle way. Sometimes when they came to visit Debbie was asleep, so they’d sit and talk with me in the garden. Receiving care at home meant we could fill the house with family and friends.”

An urgent mission

The mission at Dorothy House has always been to ensure everyone has access to outstanding palliative and end of life care. Such a huge shortfall in hospice care, when death will always be a part of life, is unacceptable.

The need for investment in hospice care is paramount – especially as the number of people requiring end of life care is set to rise by 55% by 2031. The challenge is immense, but the objective is clear: to ensure that nobody in our community has to face death alone.

Ensure no one dies alone

By collaborating with other organisations, bringing in cost-saving solutions and implementing new systems to improve efficiency, we do our very best to maximise the hospice care we have available, but the gap between what we can offer and the need in society is widening.

Our goal is clear; we need to help more people. We cannot achieve that goal without your support. Your generosity matters, is hugely appreciated and will make a meaningful difference to those in our community facing a terminal diagnosis.