Christmas is a time of joy, happiness and spending time with loved ones. But for a lot of families, this season will be lovely and difficult. For some, it will be their last Christmas together.
This week I sat down with our Family Support Team to learn what they do to help families in need. I need to share what they told me.
“Grief can be a lonely place, overwhelming because even though you might be in the same family and grieving the same person, you’re all grieving that person in a unique way.
You can feel lonely even within your own family and support system.”
There are patients coming to terms with the fact they are dying. Children trying to understand it all as a parent is dying. There are people whose grief is so overwhelming they experience suicidal thoughts after the death of someone special to them.
“There was a little boy I worked with who really couldn’t tell his Dad, who was dying, how he was feeling. He just couldn’t.
So we worked together at his school to write a song for his Dad. We sang it to him together and gave him the words so he could see these were the words that his son had written.
It was so beautiful and such a privilege to be there in that space with those two people. Being able to see the love between them and the music was the thing that could connect them.”
Here’s the tough part – Cranford Hospice receives very limited funding from the government for services that help families. We rely on our generous community to help us reach those who need us. People like you.
Our Cranford Hospice Family Support Team include our Counselling, Music Therapy, Kaitakawaenga and Carer Support Services.
“The palliative journey is so dynamic. There are so many changes along the way.
There are some common patterns or stages we see, but there’s so many different things people need from us. There’s also a person’s readiness of when they’re ready to process something. This may be different from their family.
We’re coming in and out when people need us and trying to be as responsive as we can. I see that as one of our strengths for a small team. We’re very responsive.”
A donation of $25 before the 16th December will help provide essential support for husbands, wives, sons, daughters and whānau through one of life’s hardest journeys they must face this holiday season.
Christmas is approaching, and many families here in Hawke’s Bay are having a tough time. Your gift today can make a real difference. https://cranfordchristmas.raisely.com/
“Knowledge is power, knowledge empowers you.
In the middle of the night when your person is dying and you don’t know what’s going on, that’s scary. But when you’ve got some knowledge to help you through, that’s empowering.”
Please help us reach our goal of raising $40,000 to help fund care that matters. To help people living with palliative care needs in Hawke’s Bay. To help families treasure very moment with each other.
Your support, this Christmas, would mean everything. Thank you for all you do for our community.
Ngā mihi nui – with big thanks,
Andrea Jopling,
Interim Chief Executive Officer
