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
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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.