Dorothy House Hospice Care is delighted to receive the support from local and national celebrities who have all added their voice to the Hospice’s urgent Together in Adversity campaign.
World renowned actor, comedian and screenwriter, John Cleese said: “We will all know someone who one day will need the vital support of their local Hospice; Whether its night-time respite for carers, symptom control on a specialist unit or bereavement support for family members, Dorothy House provides all of this and more. However, your local Hospice is now facing a critical financial shortfall which is having a devastating impact on their ability to support everyone who needs them. To help some of the most vulnerable people in our community, I am standing together with Dorothy House – will you help me to protect their vital core services?”
Jonathan Dimbleby, historian, biographer and much loved broadcaster also added his voice in support of the campaign: “Dorothy House performs a vital service for all of us. Everyone deserves to die in as dignified and peaceful way as possible. We all benefit from the Hospice movement. Without the care that Dorothy House offers, the pressure on acute services would be even more intense: more long waits in A&E, more lying in hospital corridors and far more risk of a traumatic death without the love, care and support of your local Hospice. I am proud to support the Dorothy House Together in Adversity Appeal.”
10 years on from the death of his beloved mother, Dorothy House was also delighted to sit down with celebrated BBC journalist, Radio 4 Today programme presenter, writer and author, Justin Webb to discuss his experience of Dorothy House’s care for his mother, his thoughts on grief, hospice care and the importance of talking about death and loss.
“I’m standing with Dorothy House because they looked after my mother, because the care that they provide is vital and it’s hugely important that it’s done in the place where it is needed.” Justin Webb – BBC Journalist
Dorothy House is also incredibly grateful to Paralympian, Stephanie Millward, for her words of support: “Our local hospice, Dorothy House is facing a critical fundraising shortfall. I’m standing with Dorothy House because I believe every patient deserves access to specialist symptom control so no one has to die in pain. Please, please stand with me today and donate.
Stephanie Millward – Dorothy House Ambassador
Together in Adversity campaign
Several years of rapidly rising costs, the NHS Pay Award (an extra £400,000/year) and the recent 40% increase in National Insurance – costing Dorothy House an extra £422,000/year – have all taken their toll on the Hospice’s ability to invest in future infrastructure.
With only 20% of our funding coming from government, Dorothy House relies heavily on the compassion and generosity of our community to fundraise every £4 in £5 it costs to run the Hospice each year.
The short term investment, of £298,000 capital funding from the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the national £100 million government hospice grant, though welcome, is not designated for funding staff, patient and family care, nor importantly the staff required for a much needed expansion of our clinical and community services to meet the projected 25% increase in end of life care need, by 2045.
It is vital therefore, that we continue to work together with Hospice UK and the government to secure sustainable long term funding to ensure people approaching the end of life receive the care at the time, and in the place, that they need it most.
Dorothy House Hospice Care continues to face a critical financial shortfall which, without remedy, threatens the specialist end of life care it currently provides to patients and families across its 800 square mile patch.
Wayne de Leeuw, Chief Executive of Dorothy House Hospice Care, said,“We urgently need the support of our community and the government to ensure we continue offering the specialist care and support that our patients and their families deserve. No one should face death alone and yet this financial gap places huge pressure on our workforce to make difficult decisions about who can receive our care, at a time when we want everyone to have equal access to our specialist support.”
“Last year Dorothy House cared for more than 3000 patients and 1000 loved ones completely free of charge. We have done this in the face of enormous funding adversity because it is the right thing to do, but now, more than ever, we need help to ensure people can die with dignity.”
You can watch Wayne’s video here.
Resolute in its approach, Dorothy House Hospice Care continues to support more and more patients like Emma through its core services; on the specialist inpatient unit in Winsley and in through its community palliative care teams visiting people’s homes.
“Everyone dies at some point. But that doesn’t necessarily make it any less scary. It makes me think if this hadn’t been there, how much harder this journey to death would be. I couldn’t have done it. My family couldn’t have done it without Dorothy House.” – Emma Lynham – patient of Dorothy House Hospice Care, June 2024
You can watch Emma’s emotional video here.
Even small donations can make a big difference in ensuring that patients like Emma and her family receive the care they need during the toughest times of their lives.
This is why the charity is appealing to anyone who will one day need its services, to:
Donate to its Adversity Appeal,
Support its upcoming fundraising events,
Donate to and visit one of its 27 shops,
Write to their local MP to secure a national settlement that meets the increasing demands of
an ageing population,
Display it’s Together in Adversity poster in their windows to raise awareness of the Hospice’s plight.