The Marie Curie Hampstead Hospice received a grant of £2,000 to support the provision of care in its 26 bed unit for patients who are dying or need assistance with pain management and rehabilitation. The grant from London Masons and The Masonic Charitable Foundation comes at a much needed time, when the usual fund raising opportunities have been severely curtailed by the pandemic.
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity offering hands-on hospice and nursing care and a free support line. This in addition to providing a wealth of information and support on all aspects of living with a terminal illness, dying, death and bereavement.
This year saw the completion of a large modernisation of the inpatient unit at the Hampstead Hospice involving the installation of air conditioning and a new heating system so that patients can independently control their room temperature; along with improved patient privacy; dementia friendly rooms; a rehabilitation bay and open planned, more welcoming reception areas.
In addition to the services offered to patients, the Hospice also looks after their families and carers. A team of counsellors provides pre and post bereavement support (for adults and children), and social workers support families through this difficult time.
Marie Curie’s Karen Sandeman told us: “We know that everybody will have been affected during the coronavirus pandemic in some way. The pandemic put everything on hold – theatre, sports and even hugging our loved ones, but terminal illness wasn’t put on hold.
Marie Curie Hampstead provides care that is a world away from that of a hospital ward, our front-line staff in Hospices, our nurses in the community and staff on our support lines, have been there through it all, seven days a week caring for patients and supporting their families. We never stopped! Marie Curie’s work is needed now more than ever and we are grateful for the timely support received from the Masonic Charitable Foundation.”
London Masons Charity Steward Tony Shields commented: “We are glad to provide urgent support to the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead, in these challenging times it is good that London Masons can respond quickly to requests for assistance.”
“This grant follows on from a recent £2.5 Million grant to fund two ultra-high aerial platforms, six rapid response vehicles and four bariatric stretchers and earlier generous donations of £3 million to Bart’s hospital for the purchase of a Cyberknife and £2 million donation towards the second London Air Ambulance, all of which contribute to saving lives right across this great capital city.”
