http://www.friendsofthewisdomhospice.org.uk/WhoWeAre/ourhistory
I had an Invite to a Medway Hospice to attend a Lung cancer and Mesothelioma Support and Information Group meet which I was very nervous about attending.
We walked the dog so that he was happy being left for a few hours and set off to Rochester.
We called in at the Savacentre and shopped (another top bought for Xmas) and an Icecream was consumed with a lot of pleasure.
Off we traveled through Gillingham, Chatham and then Rochester and noticed how run down the area has become since leaving the Medway towns 10 years ago.
The lovely Garden at the Hospice
The Hospital has been built where the old St Williams Way hospital stood and an estate of houses as well–Oh how life changes.
The Wisdom Hospice, in High Bank, Rochester, was opened in 1984 and was named after Molly Wisdom who had raised money for the building of a Hospice in Medway, even though she herself was dying of cancer.
Today, the Hospice provides palliative and end of life care for patients with life-limiting illness in Medway and Swale, whilst offering support, counselling and advice to family members.
The service is run by Medway Community Healthcare and is primarily funded by the NHS, together with an annual grant of £539,000 from the Friends of the Wisdom Hospice.
We were greeted by wonderful friendly ladies on reception and andthen all gathered in a room and plied with loads of food.
Cakes and Sandwiches –oh dear I had to be piccy –fancy starting a diet on that day!! But then a chocolate rice crispie cake is vegetarian ha!ha!
Sarah Lavender, a Occupational Therapist took us through all the things we need to make life easier in the home and we learnt that Argos are now selling Disabled items, so bringing down the cost of things, which is a great help.
Then Aileen McCartney a Physiotherapist Showed us how to breath while walking up stairs or hills –One breath in and two out as usually people do it the other way, so that means we don’t get the stale air out of our lungs.
When it was all overI talked to a nice couple by the side of me.
He had gone through everything I had and we were at the same point but he was only 54 (the doctors had told him they are seeing younger and younger people now.)
His Mother had died with Mesothelioma in September (she had washed clothes as I had done) and his Father had died last year. A whole family knocked out and he and his dad had worked at Chatham Dockyard. How cruel is that.
That story must be repeated time and time again. So sad.
We said our good by’s but I dont think I will go again as it is to far, I must talk to Canterbury K&CC to start a group here as this meeting was attended by so many people therefore there is a calling for such a group.
A very Memorable day though
