Could you give up a night’s sleep to help raise vital funds for the Hospice?!
The Big Stay Awake is back for 2023 and once again we are asking our amazing supporters to give up one night’s sleep to help raise vital funds for our Hospice at Home service.
We continue to shine a light on the incredible work our Health Care Assistant’s do, supporting patients and their carer’s at home, normally sitting with them overnight to make sure the carer can get some much needed rest and a good night sleep, safe in the knowledge that their loved one is being well looked after.
The service is generally provided when patients are nearing the end of life, when carers are in crisis, when patients have uncontrolled symptoms or have been rapidly discharged from hospital, therefore it is a fundamental and much relied upon aspect of the Hospice’s services.
Last year our Hospice at Home team provided 8,682 hours of care to 111 families and they supported 64% of patients to die at home in a comfortable environment surrounded by those they loved.
Be part of the Hospice’s Big Stay Awake!
Sign up here registration is free and pledge to give up one night’s sleep between the Monday 20th February and Sunday 26th February 2022, just like our Health Care Assistants do most nights. Any sponsorship you raise will help us continue to provide this service and help prevent carer crisis.
You can do your stay awake however you want. Why not arrange a movie marathon or binge watch your favourite box sets on Netflix. However, you choose to do yours, make it fun and get as many people involved as you can!!
We can give you hints and tips on how to maximise your fundraising and help raise as many hours of Hospice at Home Care as possible!
On average a night shirt is 9 hours long – which costs £113.76 – this works out at £12.64 per hour.
Could you give up one night’s sleep and see how many hours of Hospice at Home support you could raise in sponsorship!
Incentive Prize!!!
We want to reward you for your fundraising efforts and so all those who manage to raise £113.76 or more will be entered into a draw to win an overnight stay at a luxury hotel!!
The difference your support will make
The demand for our Hospice at Home Service continues to grow as we support patients and their carers at home and help avoid carer crisis and also unavoidable hospital admissions for the patient.
This is the difference the service makes to our patients and their carers
“The night sitters that cared for mum overnight when she was extremely poorly and vulnerable were invaluable for both of us”
“The whole family felt the kindness and love from your staff and the generosity in providing a bed and overnight care for her during her last days”
“Having the Hospice involved in mam’s care meant she was able to stay at home, where she had lived since 1958”
Russell’s Story
Visiting Russell for the first time at his home in Swffryd , it is evident that he is surrounded by plenty of family who love him very much and pride themselves on the care and support they are able to give him.
Russell was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to his spine in the summer of 2022, this diagnosis was sudden and unexpected and left Russell and his family in shock. However they rallied together to make sure they could provide the care he needed so he could return home.
However when Russell’s wife Diane also became poorly and was admitted to hospital, it was evident that the family needed additional support from the Hospice.
Despite having three incredibly supportive children the family were really struggling to provide the care that Russell needed through the day and then at night as well, due to Russell’s two sons (Mark and Anthony) working nights and Russell’s daughter (Susan) also having a son with additional needs.
“We were in a right state” says Mark, “Mam was in hospital so Susan was over there with her and me and my brother Anthony were trying to look after dad, do the shopping and keep the house going, plus working nights on top, it was really hard as we weren’t getting any sleep, plus we didn’t have anyone to sit with dad through the night”.
“When the Hospice got involved it was such a relief, they not only helped with the night sitting for dad, but also Jane the nurse came back and forth to keep an eye on dad and answer s any questions or concerns we had”.
Even though Diane, is now better, it is still vitally important that the Hospice at Home team provide the support during the night, so Diane who has been caring for her husband all day, can get a good night’s rest and recover.
“It gives us piece of mind at night, knowing that dad is being looked after, we know he is in safe hands and so we can sleep and get some rest” says Susan.
“We wouldn’t have been able to cope when mam was in hospital, if it wasn’t for the Hospice” Mark adds.
Our Health Care Assistants provide a vital role supporting patients like Russell and his family, so he can remain safe, but also stay at home where he is happiest, surrounded by his extensive family of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, making special memories every day.
By supporting our Big Stay Awake campaign and giving up just one night’s sleep, you will be helping the Hospice continue to be there for patients and families just like Russell’s.
