Meet Debs, Children’s Locality Matron
“At Keech Hospice, caring for people approaching the end-of-life means supporting families through some of the most uncertain moments they will ever face.
As nursing staff within our Symptom Management Service, we began supporting a 16-year-old young lady living with complex, drug-resistant epilepsy as her condition became increasingly unpredictable and life-limiting. Recurrent hospital admissions, including time in intensive care, meant her family were often confronted with how fragile her health had become. Our role was to gently open conversations about future wishes, advance care planning and what mattered most to her and her mother — ensuring that even in the most uncertain moments there was dignity, compassion and choice.
End-of-life care is not confined to the final days of life. It can mean careful preparation, expert symptom management and being consistently present, sometimes for months or years as a condition progresses.”
Meet Evelyn, a child we supported
“Evelyn was born two months early, weighing less than 3lb. It took another four months before we finally had a diagnosis: MIRAGE syndrome, an extremely rare and complex condition affecting around 50 people worldwide. Even the doctors were still learning about it. At first, when a nurse mentioned Keech Hospice, we didn’t think it was for us.
We thought hospices were only for people whose death was imminent,” says Evelyn’s mum, Kayleigh. “Evelyn was doing well at the time, and we didn’t realise how much support they could offer families like ours. Keech was a breath of fresh air, I just wish we’d found them sooner.”
When Evelyn died peacefully on 23 November, she was cuddled up with her mummy and daddy as we sang her favourite bedtime song.
“Keech helped turn something that could have been traumatic into something beautiful,” says Evelyn’s dad, “they gave us special moments we’ll never forget.”
Make a donation to our Spring Appeal today
You already make so much possible. With your help today, our nurses, play specialists, and support teams can continue being there – at home, in hospital, and here at Keech – whenever families need us.
Enables a child with a life-limiting condition to play and enjoy themselves in a safe, caring environment, bringing joy to the family.
Provides one-hour of specialist end-of-life care in one of our in-patient units.
Pays for social work support helping our patients and families access additional support following a palliative diagnosis.
If you experience any issues while making your donation, our Supporter Relations team is here to help. Call us on 01582 707940 or email letmehelp@keech.org.uk, and we’ll be happy to assist you or take your payment.