… Because every moment matters

Debbie knew she wanted to be a nurse from the age of 4 years old. While her mum was in hospital Debbie would visit her wearing her own nurses dressing up uniform. Although nursing wasn’t encourage as a career at the time, Debbie stuck to what she knew she wanted to do and in March 1985 qualified as a nurse from Kettering General Hospital.

Debbie had crossed paths with many of the team associated with Cransley Hospice and in 2018 secured her current post. In 2012 Debbie was made a “Queens Nurse” for demonstrating exceptional care in the community. In 2020 Debbie was one of only 30 worldwide palliative pioneers with St Christopher’s Hospice.

Debbie recalls how special some moments are, how it is such a privilidge to be invied into a persons home. She remembers a family recently, who even in their own grief and sadness took the time to write a note to thank the team who had helped them and their loved one.

Hospice care has always been deeply fulfilling for Pacha. He believes that hospice care is about much more than just medical support—it’s about providing comfort, dignity, and peace.

Pacha said “It has been a privilege to create meaningful connections and provide emotional support, ensuring that every individual feels cared for, respected, and never alone on their journey.

“Being able to support patients and their loved ones, and help them find emotional and physical relief, has truly been one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.”

Beckie took her first step into the charity sector when she joined the Cransley Hospice Trust team in 2021. It was a role that came just at the right time for her.

Beckie’s personal connection to hospice care began when her grandpa received care from his local hospice. Until then Beckie had always assumed it was the same as hospital care. Seeing the compassionate support her grandpa and family received, she came to understand the meaningful difference hospice care makes.

Beckie’s grandpa was her hero and the two shared a special bond. He was always there with unconditional love and support. He helped her to be stronger, braver, and more resilient – foundations for the values which she carries with her today.

When he passed, Beckie wanted to honour his memory by making a positive difference in the world. Since 2021, Beckie channelled that dedication into action, joining the team and raising over £2,000 for Cransley Hospice Trust by completing a skydive and the Amazing Northampton Run in his memory.

As an avid photographer herself she can often be seen behind the lens or her own camera capturing the special moments at our fundraising events.

Caroline started her own business making chocolates after being made redundant during lock down but realised that she missed people and what she had done before. Not wanting to go back to the corporate world Caroline wanted to find a role where she could feel that she was giving something back.

Caroline had recently lost two significant and close members of her family to breast cancer when the role for a Palliative and End of Life Care Project Coordinator at Cransley Hospice Trust was advertised. It seemed like the perfect role so she applied. The interview was set, but the day before the interview she was present when her closest friend’s daughter died. She could so easily have not turned up for the interview, but instead took it as a sign that she was meant for the role.

Caroline’s role, funded by Cransley Hospice Trust, focuses on coordinating and facilitating task and finish groups, ensuring that all necessary actions are taken to successfully complete specific projects aimed at enhancing services for patients and their families.

Gill spent her childhood in Malaysia until she was 14, where she fondly remembers her grandfather, a GP. Inspired by him, she knew from the age of 8 or 9 that she wanted to become a nurse.

Her family returned to the UK and lived in Leicestershire where she later did her nurse training before becoming a community nurse in Rutland.

Gill’s interest in palliative care is what led her to Cransley Hospice in 2009. Her heart has always been in community nursing, where she is able to get to know the patients well, to spend time with them and make a difference to them and their families, enabling them to have the best quality of life possible.

Gill said, “The thing that touches me the most is after someone has died, how the families often find time to thank us, even though they are going through the most difficult time, grieving and having so much to sort out, but they do it.”

Susie is a freelance Personal Assistant to Cransley Hospice Trust Chief Executive, Philip Talbot and has worked with the organisation since December 2019.

Susie’s strong belief in the modern hospice movement came following the death of her dad. Having had cancer for many years, Susie’s dad was cared for at home by her mum, a former nurse. When her dad was approaching end of life, remarkable support was provided from the community teams, who offered much needed respite for the family, and enabled Dad to die at home, according to his wishes, where he was most comfortable.

Susie is proud of all the work that the charity carries out, but for her the standout moment during her time working with Cransley Hospice Trust, was when she heard the fantastic news that the hospice inpatient unit would remain at the current site on Pipers Hill Road in Kettering.

Mike Hemingway has been volunteering for Cransley Hospice Trust for around 6 years after responding to a local advert appealing for drivers to deliver and collect collection tubs in the community. Although the driver positions had already been filled Mike’s skills were put to good use by the administration team in the office.

Mike is now a familiar face in the office fulfilling a vital task of counting the cash and cheques that come in during the week.
Before he joined Cransley Hospice Trust Mike had a career flying helicopters in the army and later with the police. Retirement from flying didn’t keep him still for long and he took his seat behind the wheel of an ambulance working for patient services frequently visiting Cransley Hospice to drop off patients or take them home after their treatment.

After his wife sadly died and he had retired, volunteering at Cransley Hospice Trust seemed like the perfect opportunity and he recently said “I get more from it than you do. I always look forward to my days in the office with the team”.

In the summer, Mike’s inner daredevil saw him take a sponsored leap from the top of the Northamptonshire Lift Tower to raise £695 for Cransley Hospice Trust.

As Community Fundraiser – events, Sarah is responsible for organising many of the Cransley Hospice Trust events. She recently hosted the outdoor cinema, golf day, and Sparkle Walk in just a few weeks to raise money for the cause which is very close to her heart.

Sarah was just 16 years old when her brother Craig died at the hospice. She remembers clearly the help and support that he and her family received at the time and how it made a difference, particularly to her mum.

Craig had suffered with Cancer for a few years and had several operations. Initially he had been very against going into the hospice, but he finally was admitted to help him manage his pain. After several visits, it was the nursing team who explained everything to Sarah’s mum so that she knew exactly what was happening at the end.
When Sarah spotted the fundraising role in an advert she knew she had to apply.

Now, whenever she is at one of the events that she’s organised, helping to raise money so that more people like Craig can receive the care and support they need, she takes a short moment to remember her brother Craig.

Ella was very well thought of by both staff and patients.

Ella spent a year at Cransley Hospice as a Specialist Palliative Registrar before moving to Leicester as a Palliative Consultant.

Carolyn decided she wanted to work in care after supporting her father who had early onset dementia. She spent 10 years with the therapy team at KGH before seeking a role in palliative care with Cransley Hospice where she looks after in-patients and patients in their own homes.

Hospice staff provide not only care and support for patients, but also for their families and carers. Carolyn has seen firsthand how much patients value this holistic approach, as it eases their worries and anxieties about how their loved ones are coping.

Carolyn paricularly enjoys the more relaxed family environment at the hospice and helping patient’s to achieve some of the goals that are important to them. It might be something simple like sitting up in a chair for meals, or getting out into the lovely garden in a wheelchair. Some patients may not have been outside for a long while if they’ve been in hospital, or living in a house or flat and not able to access the outside.

These small things and special moments make a big difference to the patient and to the family.

Helen worked as one of the doctors at Cransley Hospice for 28 years before her retirement in August. During that time her job title changed several times and her role developed from being solely on the inpatient unit to providing outpatient clinics and home visits, teaching medical students and junior doctors and in recent years leading the Palliative Neurology Team based in the North of the county.

Helen initially trained as a GP but was drawn to palliative care as it enabled her to provide holistic care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, helping them to live and die well and also giving support to their families.
Helen said “Being able to provide person-centred care by listening and giving patients and their families time to have conversations about what is important to them has been very rewarding.

“Working with compassionate, dedicated and supportive colleagues whose focus is optimising quality of life even as death approaches has been a privilege.
“Some of my favourite moments were seeing the pleasure patients experienced when their pets were allowed to come and visit them in the hospice”.

Ros graduated from Southampton with a B.Sc. in Physiology and Biochemistry, before working in various management roles for Marks & Spencer for 30 years. From here she was seconded to the Cabinet Office to review complaint handling within government departments. She had a further secondment as Director of Field Operations for Citizens Advice.

When finishing work Ros returned to study completing a BA in philosophy and a Ph D in medical ethics.
Sadly Ros’s husband Vince died suddenly in February 2017. In the time that followed, Ros took time away to grieve and recuperate and it was then that she considered becoming a volunteer.

Recognising her need for structure in her life she wanted to do something useful and “give back.” After completeing her studies, Ros began volunteering at the hospice and now volunteers on the board of trustees for Cransley Hospice Trust as well as using her skills to coordinate and support the team of around 100 volunteers.