Milk before water, or one sugar lump or two…however you take your tea, take it for Isabel Hospice this summer.
Pop the kettle on and get together with friends, family or co-workers and be part of ‘Isabel’s Tea Party 2021’ by organising a virtual or face-to-face fundraising event – and help provide free specialist care for those living with a terminal or life-limiting illness, and their families.
Raising just £150 could pay for a patient’s meals – including tea and cake – for two weeks at our In-Patient Unit.
Mum-of-one Gill Eliot, from Broxbourne, recently spent almost a fortnight as an in-patient at the Hospice and during her stay enjoyed her very own tea party with Isabel chef Joan Millard.
Finance worker Gill, who was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in January 2019, was transferred to the Hospice directly from hospital to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort she had been experiencing due to her cancer, and to rebuild her strength before being discharged home.
The 53-year-old said: “I’d been in hospital for just over four weeks prior to coming to the Hospice. I wasn’t allowed any visitors because of Covid and I didn’t see my son in all that time.
“In all honesty, it was really tough but even when the hospital team started talking about being discharged, I started to really stress out because I didn’t think I had the strength to be able to cope with going from hospital to being straight back home.
“Isabel Hospice was then mentioned and it was explained to me that it wasn’t just about end-of-life care, but they could help with pain control and improve my mental and physical wellbeing to get me to a place where I felt ready and confident to come home.
“Staying at the Hospice is so different to being in hospital. As I came through the doors, I could feel so much of my worry and anxiety instantly disappear. It was pure relief to be out of hospital where I hadn’t even felt fresh air on my face for weeks.
“It was a lovely sunny day and when they brought me into my room I asked to go straight out into the garden. I hadn’t been outside for such a long time and I just sat there with the sun on my face thinking this is exactly what I needed.
“Then this beautiful smoothie appeared that looked just like a strawberry daiquiri. I shut my eyes and imagined I was on a tropical beach with a cocktail in my hand.”
As well as enjoying some of the home-cooked meals and snacks prepared by Joan and the Hospice’s catering team, Gill also benefited from support from Isabel’s team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and complementary therapists.
She was also offered counselling through Isabel’s Family Support team and advice from the Hospice’s Children’s Service.
“It’s like staying in a four or five star hotel, you can’t help but feel safe and looked after here,” Gill said. “And now I know that if I’m struggling I can ring up for support, or even come back here if something were to happen in the future. It’s such a lovely, calming place and coming here was the best thing I could have done.”
Every precious pound raised from ‘Isabel’s Tea Party’ will enable the Hospice to continue making a meaningful difference to the lives of people like Gill and others like her.
To help make your ‘Isabel’s Tea Party’ event a success, the Hospice has created a fundraising pack, which includes three of Joan’s delicious cake recipes plus a party-themed quiz, fun promotional images to share on social media and an easy three-step guide to setting up your own Facebook profile picture frame.
To receive your fundraising pack, or for further advice and information on hosting your event, email the Isabel fundraising team at events@isabelhospice.org.uk.
