Harrogate end of life team given national recognition for commitment to cancer charity

A Harrogate based volunteer team has been honoured by Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual Volunteer Awards.
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The End of Life Volunteer Group, based at Harrogate District Hospital, were presented with Macmillan’s ‘Service Team of the Year Award’, beating volunteer teams from across the UK. The Service Team of the Year award recognises passionate and determined teams supporting people affected by cancer.

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This special team of volunteers is made up of a team of dedicated women, Belinda Goode, Maria Halamova, Dianne Laing, Liz McCarthy and Liz Rochester (now left), who provide end of life care and support for hospital patients and their loved ones in the last days or weeks of life.

Members of the end of life team have been recognised for a national award.Members of the end of life team have been recognised for a national award.
Members of the end of life team have been recognised for a national award.

The volunteers provide emotional support; just being there for a chat or to listen to a patient nearing the end of their life, as well as practical things like combing a patients hair or respite for loved ones.

The team are based at Harrogate District Hospital and form an invaluable part of the Macmillan Palliative Care Team.

Sarah Grant, Macmillan Patient Information and Health and Wellbeing Manager, nominated the volunteer team for the award. She said: “We are immensely proud and grateful to our volunteers who have not only embraced this difficult role wholeheartedly but have enabled it to develop and flourish whilst never losing sight of the compassion and care for those they visit.

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“For patients who are alone in the world, this has meant a welcome hour or so of one to one company. The chance to talk, share feelings, be read to or simply to just have someone there.

“For relatives it has given them chance to grab a hot drink, some food, a toilet break or even to pop home and let the dog out, whilst safe in the knowledge their loved one is not alone until they return.

“The service is only possible because of the dedication and commitment of this fantastic team. They constantly go above and beyond what is expected. They are all amazing.”

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Adele Burrough, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for North Yorkshire, added: “These ladies have gone the extra mile in their volunteering with the Macmillan Palliative Care Team at Harrogate District Hospital.

“The simple acts of listening, talking, helping with refreshments and alerting clinical staff to signs of pain, discomfort and agitation cannot be underestimated.”

Although Macmillan’s face to face volunteering has been paused, there are still a number of ways you can volunteer for Macmillan to support people living with cancer.

Find out more by visiting www.macmillan.org.uk/volunteer or emailing [email protected].

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Macmillan has said it needs your help more than ever before to be there for people living with cancer. To donate visit macmillan.org.uk/emergency or call 0300 1000 200.

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