Bellacorick group hands over €6k to Hospice Foundation

The Mayo/ Roscommon Hospice Foundation based in Knock was delighted to receive the sum of €6,000 recently towards its Home Care Service. The money now means that the service is in place 365 days a year to help those in their community who have to cope with serious illness and the loss of loved ones. The money, which was raised from the Bellacorick Power Station DVD sales, will assist the Foundation in helping many people through some very difficult times. In 2006, the Foundation's Home Care Teams cared for 432 patients and their families and made more than 9,000 home visits, traveling 160,000 miles caring for patients in both counties.

The Palliative Care teams at the two county hospitals also cared for 280 patients. Cynthia Clampett, Chief Executive of the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation, told EM that the extended seven-Day Home Care Service is now fully operational in both counties.

"Having the specialist nurses available at weekends to provide care and support for patients has made a real difference," she said. "Families now have a great sense of security and as a consequence the number of weekend emergency admissions of palliative patients has greatly reduced."

The Foundation currently funds over 70% of the service costs in both the community and the hospitals and its budget for 2007 is €1.5 million.

Before the Foundation was established there were no services for terminally ill patients in Mayo and Roscommon. People were sent home to die and many suffered difficult and painful deaths. In 1992, thanks to the foresight and dedication of a small group of people, the Foundation was established to provide Hospice Services to two counties.

According to its Chief Executive, the Foundation has done everything possible to improve and develop Hospice Services in both counties over the years. "It has been an uphill struggle and the pace of development was constantly hindered by circumstances outside of our control but despite all the setbacks and obstacles we kept going and we are very proud of what has been achieved."

The services being provided for patients and families has improved enormously and the staff see and hear evidence of this daily. Initially there were 7 staff providing the service in both counties. There are now 27 employed, with the Foundation funding more than 70% of their employment costs.

The next big challenge is to develop in-patient services in both counties. "Without this type of generous support and the dedication, commitment and hard work of Hospice supporters this essential service would not be possible," says Cynthia Clampett.