May 10 2009
Just For a Moment
Just for a Moment
We all take every day things for granted , for instance we get up in the morning and go to work, we come home at the end of the day and do our own thing. We look forward to certain events that structure our day to day existence. Most of us throughout our lives will encounter upsets and little hiccups, which we manage to deal with.
What though, if all of sudden, you are told you have cancer or someone very dear and close you love, is told they have cancer, and that cancer is terminal. Shock sets in, followed by tears then sometimes anger and finally the numbness that you or your loved one has had a time limit stamped on their life. These are all emotions that are difficult to cope with much more so if the cancer patient is your child; because we all expect our children to outlive us. The pain at first, is physically unbearable and it takes time to adjust and come to terms with what lies ahead.
This is where the wonderful cancer care from your local hospice, MacMillan nurses, carers, volunteers step in with their guiding light to help ease the physical and emotional pain, where anxieties and fears are listened to and support given.
The local hospice in Welwyn Garden City is called the Isabel Hospice which was founded in 1982 by Isabel Last; herself a cancer sufferer, along with other devoted people. The charity was registered in 1983. The hospice incorporates a day hospice to accommodate 60 patients each week. There are three satellite day hospices, a hospice at home service, family support service, a 16 bed in-patient hospice and a bereavement service. Their priority is to ensure that each and every patient is given their own special individual care. The 16 bed hospice is beautifully furbished. There are no feelings of sadness in the hospice just this peaceful, dignified atmosphere which feels comfortable.
It is amazing that the hospice; like most others, rely on donations to keep providing this much needed precious care. How awful it would be if care like this did not exist. Who would be there to offer guidance, a shoulder to cry on. Who would offer the parents of the dying child something to cling on to before and after death. This is reality, not fiction.
Their website www.isabelhospice.org.uk has an abundance of information for you to digest. There is a link to all the fund raising taking place this year, so click in and take a browse around.
Just for a moment think what you might be able to do to help raise funds for your local hospice; a darts match, football match, parachute jump (for those who dare). A walk, a swimming event, something totally outrageous, the list is on going. Just sponsoring someone taking part. It all makes a difference.
We all need to stop and think, just for a moment, that you or someone you love could be told tomorrow they have terminal cancer.
Georgie Cox
