Month: March 2020

2019 was a historic year for Mayo Roscommon Hospice with the hospice building in Mayo completed and due to open in the coming months.  The 14-bed inpatient facility, with full day care services cost in the region of €8.5 million euro to construct and 100% of the funds came from fundraised income. A loan was secured for the construction of the unit, but that loan was not drawn down and the unit is now complete on fundraised income.

2020 will also be a busy year for the Foundation. The sod was turned on the Roscommon Hospice on January 10^th and the project will take around 14 months. The finished facility will be an 8-bed inpatient facility, with full day care facilities. It will cost about €6 million to construct and again 100% of that will come from fundraised income.

A large percentage of our fundraised income comes from Hospice Sunflower Days and Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice Together with Bewley’s each year, so without that we would not have been able to build our Mayo Hospice and move onto our Roscommon build and continue to provide our homecare palliative care services in the two counties.

 

After 32 years in existence the construction of a dedicated 20 bed Palliative Care Centre for the South East, on the grounds of University Hospital Waterford, which started in 2017 has now been completed and is on schedule for opening in 2020.

Waterford Hospice, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive has been working for many years to have this vital place of health infrastructure delivered to the people of the South East.

Waterford Hospice has pledged €6 million to the overall cost of the project and so far €4.6 million has been raised, thanks to the generosity of the people of Waterford City, County and South Kilkenny. With the continued help, dedication and commitment of the people of The South East we can reach our goal of raising the Final €1.4 million to provide a facility that will give both patients and relatives the dignity, care and privacy they deserve.

Marymount unveiled a commemorative sculpture to mark 2020 as its 150^th year of service. Entitled ‘On Life’s Journey’ and sculpted by artist Helen Sinclair the piece has been erected at the entrance to the Marymount building and is a symbol of hope and light as it centers on an individual’s life cycle.

Speaking at the launch: Sarah McCloskey, Marymount CEO said:

“We are honored to unveil this sculpture today to mark 2020 as our 150^th year of service. It is an equally impressive and humbling moment to mark 150 years of providing much needed palliative and elderly care services to the people of Cork and beyond. We have a huge legacy from our founding Sisters of Charity and Dr Patrick Murphy who, alongside the people of Cork, funded our original building in Cork City, to the many individuals and companies of today’s Cork that continue to support Marymount in so many different ways.

“Marymount has been an important part of so many people’s lives across many generations. We are part of the history of Cork and part of its future too. A lot has changed since our initial services opened – from medical practices to access to health information to our physical building. However, what remains is the ethos and vision of Marymount – we continue to strive to provide exceptional care to the dependent older person and for those with life limiting illness.  And we continue to work with each person, each family with dignity compassion and respect. These essential elements have remained a constant throughout our 150 years.

To make the launch day extra special for patients in Marymount the River Lee Hotel group held an afternoon tea for patients and staff. 2020 will also be a bumper year for Marymount fundraising with many events and campaigns scheduled to support the 150^th year.

“We could not do the work we do alone,” explains Dr McCloskey. “On behalf of Marymount, I am so thankful to everyone who has supported us in any way and who continues to do so. Fundraising is part of the lifeblood of Marymount – from donations of money and services to get the original building opened in 1870 to the remarkable €26 million fundraised by the Friends of Marymount to ensure this building in Curraheen opened in 2011.

 

“Each year we need to raise €3.5 million to deliver our current level of services and to enable us to continue to grow.  The numbers of people accessing our services has doubled in the last decade and we will continue to strive to reach more families and to develop our education/ research institute.

Each year the people and community of Cork step up and help us to do this. We are so grateful to you all and we hope to see you at some of our 150 years events this year.”

To get involved in 2020 you can do so by running an event to mark 150 years of our service in Cork, or by sponsoring one of our planned projects/events. You can contact our fundraising team at 021 4501201 or email fundraising@marymount.ie.

A full schedule of Marymount events for its 150^th Year including an International Palliative Care Conference on 8 & 9^th October is available on www.marymount.ie.

The North West Hospice in collaboration with the HSE has submitted an application to Sligo County Council for planning permission to progress the development of the hospice facility on the existing site of the North West Hospice inpatient unit on the grounds of Sligo University Hospital. This will see the hospice’s inpatient unit increase from its current 8 bed inpatient capacity to a 12 bed single room inpatient capacity. The enhanced hospice facility will include accommodation for the Community Palliative Care Team, outpatient and consultation facilities, administration and management offices and will have meeting room facilities to support HSE, community and volunteer activities which support the delivery of specialist inpatient, community and acute palliative care services.

North West Hospice services are currently revenue co-funded from the HSE and voluntary contributions. HSE Estates are managing the capital project on behalf of the North West Hospice to ensure compliance with all relevant HSE protocols and statutory requirements. The total cost of the project which is included on the HSE’s capital plan for funding is approximately €8 million with the North West Hospice having contributed approximately €300,000 to bring the project to design stage.

Once planning permission is received, subject to funding availability it is expected that building would commence in 2021 with completion of the build in 2023.

Pat Dolan, Chair of the North West Hospice stated that

“On behalf of the Board and management at North West Hospice, we are delighted that the new design is now submitted for planning permission. North West Hospice as part of our strategic plan recognised the need for some time to upgrade our Hospice facilities to meet the growing needs of our community. Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan. We look forward to collaboratively working with the HSE and our local community to bringing the project to completion. We would also like to thank all involved in bringing the project to this point.”

John Hayes, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo stated that

“The HSE works closely with the North West Hospice in order to deliver, develop and improve palliative care services to the people of the hospice’s catchment area of Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan. The co-location of the existing North West Hospice building with Sligo University Hospital has a real benefit to the clinical management and care for patients who require acute hospital services and the location of the new development on the same site will ensure this is retained. The HSE looks forward to progressing further the capital development which will see an enhanced and more integrated palliative care service being delivered to the people living in the Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal areas.”