NORTH WEALD: Hospice celebrates 20 years

By labrown

THE heartbreak of watching both his grandmother and his sister-in-law die of cancer, has inspired a young man to dedicate his time to the hospice that supported his family at this time.

Giles Wright, 26, has worked as communications manager at St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood for more than two years.

He saw first-hand the work the hospice does when his sister-in-law Nina Wright was cared for there, and it was that experience that encouraged him to get involved with the charity.

Nina, the mother of three young girls, was in her mid-thirties when she tragically died of cancer on Christmas Eve 2005.

"It really came home to me when we saw Nina there. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in late 2004 and was a day patient and later an in-patient," Giles said.

"It was scary and it was the emotional uncertainty as well. She was concerned about how the children would grasp it and what support there would be for them."

However, at a time of turmoil and great need the hospice was on-hand to provide not just health care but also psychological support and practical advice on benefits, as Nina's illness meant she had to give up her job.

"Her youngest daughter was christened at the hospice, which was something she didn't think she would ever see. That was something positive that happened amongst it all," Giles said.

The family were able to visit Nina every day and stay as long as they wished.

"You think of a hospice as a dark place, but you walk into the reception and it's bright and the people are warm and friendly.

"The staff all have smiles on their faces, which is the last thing you would expect to see there," he said.

Giles' grandmother, Phyllis Legg, was also a patient at St Clare and sadly died of cancer when she was in her late eighties.

However, her time at St Clare was a positive experience.

"She was very nervous about going into the hospice, but once there she felt she was pampered and her energy was up," said Giles.

In 2007 Giles decided to leave his job in commercial marketing and take up the position of communications manager at St Clare.

The position has been both a rewarding and a challenging one.

He remembers the pain of organising one particular publicity event.

Not realising just how ill one patient was he asked her if she would be in a photo with Spurs footballer Wayne Routledge who was visiting the hospice.

That was on a Friday but by the time Monday arrived and the photo was due to be taken, the woman had died.

"I was just so young and I naively had no idea how ill she was," he said.

But added: "I still love every moment of this job. It's hugely rewarding."