Sian fundraised in memory of her mum, Denise, who received Pilgrims care in 2022.
Sian and Denise
Sian felt so supported by Pilgrims during her mum’s illness that she wanted to give back.
She said: “Pilgrims regularly checked in, ensuring she was comfortable with the huge changes in her life that she was about to face. They fitted aids throughout our home to support her as her physical strength gradually worsened.
“In the days leading up to her passing, she got sick. We phoned Pilgrims for advice, and they informed our GP and requested a scan. On the morning of the scan, Mum struggled to get up. I called Pilgrims and they told me to phone the hospital. This became one of the last days we spent with Mum; without Pilgrims’ guidance, we wouldn’t have had that extra time with her before she passed.
“During this period when Mum was unwell, I was on my own caring for her whilst trying to balance working a full-time job as well as making time for myself. Pilgrims acted as a friend, offering advice and support.
“No one can prepare you to lose a parent. Life is short, and although I would’ve loved to spend the rest of my life with Mum, having those extra days with her made me eternally grateful – and it’s all thanks to Pilgrims for listening to me on the other end of that phone call.
Sian took on The Big Half on Sunday 1 September 2024.
Sian at The Big Half 2024
Her friends, family and local gym – Muscle Hut in Ashford – helped her to raise more than £1,000 for Pilgrims.
She added:
“I’m so grateful for the support Pilgrims provided throughout a very difficult time on our family. They were always within arm’s reach, and I’m extremely excited to be giving back to them in any way I can.”
Pilgrims has a limited number of charity places in The Big Half 2025, you can secure your spot on the start line today, for free, with a pledge to raise at least £350 sponsorship for hospice care.
Pilgrims Hospices is a charity dedicated to providing expert care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses in east Kent. Our services ensure comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families, offering compassionate care both in hospice settings and in the community.
29th August 2024
Cheers to the tea-rrific Pilgrims Hospices teams: Celebrating Afternoon Tea Week 2024 with love, laughter, and a feast of flavours!
A huge round of applause to the wonderful Pilgrims Hospices Therapy Centre teams from Ashford, Canterbury, and Thanet for treating our patients to the most delightful afternoon teas across all three sites!
Afternoon Tea Week took place nationally from 12 – 18 August 2024; the dedication, warmth, and creativity truly shone through, making the experience unforgettable for everyone involved.
Robyn Moore, Healthcare Assistant
The events were enjoyed by patients who are currently attending Wellbeing groups at each hospice, which provide an opportunity to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. The therapy teams organise visits from guest speakers, who deliver talks and interactive workshops on a variety of topics, helping patients to open up and share their own interests. Importantly, the groups also offer a space to relax and switch off for a few hours.
Patients at the Canterbury hospice welcomed visitors from Retreat into Wonderland, an animal rescue charity based in Herne Bay, to their afternoon tea event. Shetland ponies greeted everyone in the hospice gardens, contributing to a calm and comforting atmosphere.
The Thanet hospice enjoyed an interesting and informative talk from the Kent Police fraud team, and Ashford patients were entertained by a classical guitarist.
Sharon Smith, Wellbeing Practitioner Team Leader, said: “Afternoon Tea Week celebrates the great British tradition of afternoon tea and is the perfect excuse to catch up with loved ones over a cup of tea and some delicacies.”
A special shout-out to our amazing catering team, whose planning and passion turned these afternoon teas into a feast of flavours and joy. Every bite was a reminder of the love and care that goes into everything you do. The smiles on everyone’s faces said it all!
Let’s raise our teacups high in celebration of this cherished tradition and the incredible efforts of our teams who make moments like these so special. Thank you for being the heart and soul of our community!
Pilgrims Hospices is a charity dedicated to providing expert care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses in east Kent. Our services ensure comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families, offering compassionate care both in hospice settings and in the community.
24th April 2023
Pilgrims Hospices doctors help patients to live well in every moment
At Pilgrims Hospices, specialist palliative care doctors and consultants play a vital role in supporting patients and their families. They focus on managing and improving the physical symptoms that accompany a variety of life-limiting illnesses, with the broader aim of helping people to live well – in both mind and body – in the time that they have left.
Ahsan Ashfaq and Tarek Boumrah, trainee doctors who both volunteered at Pilgrims when they were at school and spent time in the hospices during their medical training, share their experiences of hospice care in east Kent.
What inspired you to volunteer and do your training at Pilgrims Hospices?
Ahsan: When I was at sixth form, I was looking for opportunities to gain experience in healthcare to better inform my career choice. We’d raised money for Pilgrims when I was at school, so I was familiar with the charity. Some friends in older years had volunteered and they only had good things to say. I spent time on weekends and some afternoons volunteering on reception at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet, where I learned a great deal.
Naturally, I was absolutely delighted when the opportunity presented itself to work at Pilgrims as a doctor. It felt like a ‘full-circle’ moment. It has been one of the greatest honours of my career so far to have served the local community with Pilgrims.
Tarek:I was interested in healthcare whilst studying for my A-Levels and wanted to do something that would help others. I heard about Pilgrims through a friend, and felt that the care they provided was so unique that I wanted to learn more.
It has been one of the greatest honours of my career so far to have served the local community with Pilgrims.
Ahsan
What did your roles involve and what did you learn?
Ahsan:As a volunteer, I worked on the reception desk. I would direct visitors to the appropriate areas and help make teas and coffees for them. At the time, the reception volunteers used to do a tea/coffee trolley round for the patients and also deliver food from the kitchen where necessary.
As a doctor, I worked as a senior house officer at Pilgrims Hospice Thanet. I worked in conjunction with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to provide care for patients on our inpatient unit. My day-to-day role included meetings about patients, board rounds, ward rounds and ensuring that our patients were well looked after. There was also a comprehensive teaching programme, from which I learned a great deal and was also able to contribute to. I visited people in their homes and the hospital to help plan their care. As such, I had the opportunity to learn about palliative medicine and develop my medical practice in this specialty. Through working at Pilgrims, I have learned to always put compassion at the heart of my approach to patients.
In both roles, I was lucky to work together with a wide range of professionals, all of whom I consider heroes without capes.
Tarek:As a volunteer, I welcomed visitors in reception and made teas and coffees for them. I’d often pass the ward and speak to patients and families, too. I’d never seen a dying person before, so it was a really eye-opening experience.
As a doctor, I supported patients and helped to improve their quality of life, ensuring they had a comfortable and dignified death. The main thing I’ve learned is to listen; patients and their families often feel they haven’t been listened to, and this leads to a relationship breakdown between them and healthcare professionals. Often, simply listening can make a huge difference to a patient, even if I’m not able to solve their medical issue.
Decisions about resuscitation and preferred place of care and death are often overlooked, which doesn’t give patients and loved ones the time they need to process what is happening. My time at Pilgrims helped me develop my communication skills, and also recognise the importance of planning for the future with patients.
In today’s society, people don’t often see the dying process, so it can be frightening for patients and families who have no idea what to expect. Pilgrims helps to normalise this journey that we will all take.
Tarek
Why is hospice care important?
Ahsan: Hospice care provides an opportunity for people with terminal illnesses to live with dignity despite their disease. From symptom control to psychological support and spiritual care, Pilgrims provides a vital service for patients and their families when they are at their most vulnerable. It is so important to be able to provide this service to the local community.
Tarek:Hospices prioritise patients’ dignity and wishes, caring for them in a truly holistic way that supports all of their needs: medical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual. This care also extends to their loved ones, continuing into bereavement after a patient has died.
Why do we need to talk about death and dying and how does Pilgrims help people to do this?
Ahsan: Death and dying can be a scary thought for many people. There can be a lot of fears around symptoms, social issues and the concept of going through the dying process itself. It’s important to talk about these things so that we can be clear about what patients’ wishes are and provide patient-centred care.
Pilgrims helps people talk about dying in various ways; patients are able to speak to the medical and nursing team about their fears and wishes, and there are also activities run by the Wellbeing team for patients and their carers. Hospice counsellors and the spiritual care team can speak to both patients and their families so that they are able to get the support they need.
Tarek:In today’s society, people don’t often see the dying process, so it can be frightening for patients and families who have no idea what to expect. Pilgrims helps to normalise this journey that we will all take. Talking about death and dying encourages people to focus on what’s most important to them.
If you’re interested in a career at Pilgrims, please check out our current vacancies at www.pilgrimshospices.org/jobs, which are updated regularly.
Death Cafes provide a safe space to discuss death and dying without objectives or an agenda.
We’re hosting our next Death Cafe event on Wednesday 10 May 2023 at the Ann Robertson Centre in Canterbury, during Dying Matters Awareness Week. This is a free event and all are welcome; places are limited, so please call or email if you’d like to come along:
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices provide care and comfort to thousands of people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the end of life, free from pain and distress.
12th April 2023
The Blackbird Project continues to soar at Pilgrims Hospices
The Blackbird Project helps people hear their loved ones’ voices – even when they’re no longer here.
Sheena and Nick Jackaman lost their son Ben in 2017, when he was only 34 years old. He was cared for at Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury. As with many bereaved families, they realised how much they missed the sound of Ben’s voice of which they had no recent recordings.
Nick and Sheena Jackaman
They, his sister Anna, family and their friends raised funds in his memory, in order to create a legacy project that would allow grieving families to listen to the voice of their loved one, and feel comforted at any time.
From this idea, the Blackbird Project was born and co-founded with Pilgrims Hospices. The project name came from the family’s love of The Beatles track ‘Blackbird’ which Ben played for them on his guitar before he was diagnosed with cancer.
From Spring 2019, Blackbird facilitators at the hospice have been trained to work with patients to record messages, poems, thoughts, recipes, details of their favourite music or anything that the patient would like to say.
After recording, the memory messages are downloaded onto a little blackbird-shaped USB stick, and given to the person who the patient has nominated.
Sheena and Nick continue to support Pilgrims, and more recently have donated beautiful Blackbird paintings to our three hospices, and printed cards that are for sale to raise important funds for patient care and services.
They said: “Our friend Caroline Brett is a talented artist who lives in Spain. She painted the wonderful blackbirds for us as a surprise gift. Greetings cards have also been printed from the original paintings, to sell and raise funds for The Blackbird Project. We are delighted to have her support with the beautifully detailed prints; we still feel surrounded by Ben’s love. Ben was highly creative, working in graphic design, and had a gift for music. I’m sure he would be very proud of our blackbird choice, and our way of recognising the compassion and care provided by Pilgrims Hospices who took us all under their wings at the most difficult of times. We will continue to raise funds in Ben’s memory, especially to support people who are facing similar challenges in their bereavement.”
In folklore, the blackbird is the first bird to sing in the dawn chorus, and the last bird singing as night falls. Its call is distinctive and is instantly recognisable, making it a very appropriate name for the project.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
30th March 2023
Kent Police visit Pilgrims Hospices to empower patients to stay safe
Emma Swietochowski-Hay, Kent Police’s Fraud Prevention Co-ordinator, was invited to talk at the Living Well Group in the Therapy Centre at Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury, by Kim and Kelly, Wellbeing Practitioners.
The talk was to highlight how criminal activity faces us all, and how we can make simple changes to our reactions, and practices to help to keep safe and secure when it comes to fraudulent activities.
Emma has hands-on experience, working as a uniformed Police Community Support Officer in Ashford. She is passionate about passing on her experience of local crime, and how to take steps to prevent this, by empowering vulnerable people within our community, to keep them safe and keep criminals at bay.
Emma said: “This role is so important within our community, helping people to keep safe from scams and fraudsters is vital in today’s world of the internet, and telephone criminals. My work helps people to understand how to make sensible choices and decisions when being approached by potential criminals, and how to report those trying to scam them via the internet and email.”
The talk was well received and created a lot of discussion within the group. Emma covered scam calls, text message scams, investment and romance fraud to name but a few. Most importantly, she reassured the group that no one person should ever feel embarrassed or unable to call the Fraud Police for help and advice, as this is an all too common practice, and gave the group useful numbers to contact.
Advice was given regarding banking, internet, remote access and courier fraud. She explained how to take appropriate measures to ensure people are speaking to the ‘right’ contact, and not unscrupulous scammers.
The Therapy Centre is a safe space, where patients and carers have mentioned how comfortable and at ease they feel when they arrive. This makes us really proud to be a part of Pilgrims and being able to make a difference to peoples’ wellbeing.
Kim and Kelly, Wellbeing Practitioners
The group commented how informative the session was, and that they realised the need to keep extra safe when storing information, and passwords online, and that they would be passing on the information they gained to their friends and family. They said that they had really enjoyed the session.
Kim and Kelly, Wellbeing Practitioners, said:
“Our groups are great fun, including creative and educational activities, enabling our patients and their carers to regain their identities and not feel overshadowed by their illness. The Therapy Centre is a safe space, where patients and carers have mentioned how comfortable and at ease they feel when they arrive. This makes us really proud to be a part of Pilgrims and being able to make a difference to peoples’ wellbeing. We enjoy helping people to ‘Live Well’, and the smiles and laughter we see during our groups.”
Pilgrims Wellbeing team run a wide variety of activities to support patients living with life-limiting conditions. Patients can join Pilgrims groups to improve their mobility, mental wellbeing, creativity and general interest.
Our Wellbeing Programme is free if you live in east Kent, and you have been diagnosed with a palliative illness. It aims to enhance your wellbeing, in mind and body.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of people in east Kent coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress. Care is provided from three hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet, as well as in patients’ own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families, the charity must raise £11 million each year from the generous local community.
24th March 2023
Penny praises Pilgrims Hospices as “a place to live, a caring community”
Penny Murphy from Tenterden was diagnosed with colon and liver cancer in 2020 and given 18 months to live; she began treatment and surpassed her initial prognosis.
In January 2023, Penny decided to stop treatment to focus on her quality of life and make the most of the time she has.
Pilgrims Hospices is now supporting Penny to live well in each moment and plan for her future, enabling her to spend more time making precious memories with loved ones.
A former nanny, Penny is described by friends as “beautiful, incredibly funny, silly, adorable, and an absolute ‘one-in-a-million’ lady”. They are currently running a GoFundMe campaign to help Penny tick important goals off her bucket list, including a trip to Italy with her husband, John.
Penny said: “I’d been living with cancer for two and half years before I was referred to Pilgrims. I was so isolated at home. I dreaded the idea of hospice care, but when I arrived for my first holistic assessment, it didn’t feel like a place to die – it is a place to live, a caring community. I was greeted so warmly. The reception staff knew who I was and who I was there to see.
“Pilgrims sorted everything for me, they are so helpful and compassionate. I was able to speak with someone immediately; the whole team is efficient. I met Alison Wiltshire, Community Nursing Team Leader and Palliative Specialist Nurse (PSN), and we discussed my history and sorted out my disability badge, benefits, pain medication and future wishes. It’s the first time since being diagnosed that I’ve felt in control and empowered to make decisions about my care, which is phenomenal.”
Alison Wiltshire, Community Nursing Team Leader and PSN, with Penny
A common perception of palliative care is that it takes place only on hospice wards, but the majority of Pilgrims patients are cared for within the east Kent community. In 2022-23, 2,426 patients have had input from the clinical team – PSNs, doctors and Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) – in the community, including in patients’ own homes.
Penny
Alison added: “Bringing patients into clinic allows them to discover what a hospice feels like, and can allay fears and anxiety about what hospices are. Having someone like Penny experience our community services and be willing to spread the word to encourage others is just what we need. It helps to dispel myths about hospice care.”
Penny is currently accessing Pilgrims’ spiritual care and complementary therapy services. Her dogs, Ruger and Elsa, can also come to the hospice with her.
She continued: “I’m dying – I’m under no illusion about that – but Pilgrims gives me peace of mind; it’s so reassuring knowing that my future care will be on my terms. I think this is really important.
“To anyone being offered hospice care, I would say: “Go for a visit, talk to team, try it out”. You’ll be surprised how positive it is; it’s nothing at all to be scared of.”
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
