insideKENT Magazine Issue 66 - September 2017 | Page 158

CHARITY insideKent Charity Profile: HOSPICES OF HOPE © Paul Sanders Photography What is it that Hospices of Hope does? Hospices of Hope provides hospice care to people suffering from terminal illness. We also look after children and young people suffering from life-limiting conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. We work in Romania, Serbia and Moldova where end of life care is scarce. We run our own hospices and rural clinics as well as helping small independent hospice organisations. Much of the care we provide is in our patients’ homes. It is very unusual for state doctors to make home visits but most people are too weak or too poor to attend clinics. Why is the work that Hospices of Hope does so important? Imagine having a serious illness but no pain relief or symptom control and simply being left to cope as best you can. This is the situation that faces some 92% of people diagnosed with a terminal illness in Romania. Serbia has the highest level of cancer in any European 158 country but currently has no purpose-built hospice. The situation in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, is worse. What is the charity’s history and what are its link to Kent? The charity was established by Tunbridge Wells resident, Graham Perolls CMG, OBE. Graham opened the Ellenor Hospice in Dartford in memory of his parents, Ellen and Norman. Whilst on holiday in Romania in the early 1990s Graham asked to visit a cancer ward. He had seen the post-communist footage of the terrible conditions in orphanages but was still shocked by what he saw. So he decided to use the expertise gained at the Ellenor to help. That idea grew into the leading hospice care organisation in South East Europe which has helped more than 40,000 patients and trained more than 20,000 medical professionals. Graham was made a Companion of St Michael and St George in recognition of the service he has given to the people of Romania. We have very close ties with Kent. Our head office is in the beautiful village of Otford above our very popular tea rooms. We have twelve other shops in the area including ones in Ashford, Bexley, Biggin Hill, Faversham, Maidstone, Orpington, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Do you have any events coming up? We have a number of events over the next few months, all of which are detailed on our website. On Sunday 17th September, we have a Fun Run in the beautiful setting of Knole Park with our mascot Bagpuss leading the way. In October we are holding a Murder Mystery evening which is a new story written especially for us. Leading up to Christmas we have our Roaring 20’s event, Christmas craft evening and two Ladies Lunches.