A hospice in southeast London, which provides care for over 4,000 patients annually, has made a public plea for financial assistance in order to maintain its operations.
St Christopher’s Hospice, with locations in Sydenham and Orpington, provides complimentary end-of-life care, yet only one-third of its funding is sourced from governmental support. The majority is derived from charitable contributions.
Hospice UK, an organization advocating for hospice services, highlighted the stark reality of how much hospices depend on fundraising efforts and urged the government to implement long-term funding reforms.
In December, the Department of Health and Social Care announced an additional £100 million in funding for hospices.
Julie Penfold, 58, who was a patient at St Christopher’s last year, passed away in October from pancreatic cancer. She spent her final days in the inpatient unit at Sydenham, surrounded by her loved ones.
Her husband, John Whincop, praised the care they received, stating, “It was extraordinary; we didn’t need to ask for anything because they anticipated our needs and desires. It felt as if the care enveloped us, allowing us to focus solely on being together.”
Their daughter, Ellie, remarked that the staff at the hospice helped her mother “achieve such a sense of tranquility.”
Tom Abbott, the Director of Income Generation, commented, “We are fortunate that our community’s support has placed us in a stable financial position that allows us to continue providing care. However, we believe that there is a pressing need for national reform of hospice funding.”
The hospice is currently in search of volunteers to participate in a fundraising initiative aimed at raising £200,000 through a cycling challenge from Crystal Palace to the Palace of Versailles in France.
A representative from the Department of Health and Social Care indicated that ministers are “committed to ensuring the sector’s sustainability in the long term.”
