09-05-2025
Bury Hospice set to mark International Nurses Day
Bury Hospice is set to join in the celebrations for International Nurses Day.
The annual event takes place on May 12 each year, marking the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, who is widely considered the founder of modern nursing.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) leads the occasion, with each year having a different theme.
This year's theme is "Caring for nurses strengthens economies".
Mary Fox and Chloe Ratcliffe (Image: Supplied) The hospice, which opened in June 1991, has provided specialist, compassionate, and palliative end-of-life care to thousands of people.
Their team of doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, and other professional staff offer expert care and support for individuals with life-limiting illnesses, both at the hospice and at home.
Community lead Joanne Denby said: "I have a background of surgical and community nursing, which provides me with the skills to assess patients at home.
"Working with Outreach and Hospice at Night to provide an excellent service to patients in their own home who have a life-limiting illness.
"We also support families and will refer them for complementary therapy, counselling and bereavement if required.
"Patients and their families can self-refer, I will visit the home to complete a holistic assessment, tailoring care and signposting, to meet the patient's individual needs."
Joanne Denby (Image: Supplied) Amy McSherry, who works in the community outreach team, said: "We provide support to patients and families in their own home with services such as regular monitoring visits to regularly review a patient's condition and refer/signpost to onward services if and when required.
"This gives patients and families a lot of reassurance, particularly if they are not known to any other community services.
"We work closely with external services too, to ensure that care is personalised and effective for every individual.
"Our outreach service includes a bathing service at the hospice, offering an accessible, jet-equipped bath for individuals unable to use their own facilities at home.
"We offer situational respite for up to two hours for family or carers that may be hesitant to leave their loved one at home alone for any length of time."
Nellie Savory, clinical lead in the inpatient unit and face of the hospice's Sponsor a Nurse campaign, said: "Happy International Nurses Day to our fabulous clinical team at the Hospice and to our fellow nurses.
"I believe that working with people at the end of their life and being chosen to care for them is an honour and privilege.
"I take pride that my team spend time really listening to our patients and treating them as a person, not just a patient.
"Families become families again as we take over the role of carer and memories are made, to give this to people every day fills us with pride and gratitude."
Amy McSherry (Image: Supplied) The services at the hospice are provided free of charge, but the organisation needs to raise £4.8m this year to fund its work, with only 17 per cent of funding coming from the government.
Sponsoring a nurse starts from a minimum donation of £10 a month.
To sponsor a nurse, visit the hospice website or call the fundraising office on 0161 797 1748.
A £10 monthly donation could help a nurse to give a relaxing bubble bath to a patient, while £15 a month could support a nurse to sit and create a memory box with a patient to leave behind for their children.
A £25 monthly donation could support a nurse to be with a family in their home so that their loved one can stay at home for as long as possible.
Anyone who sponsors will receive a special Sponsor a Nurse pin badge as a thank you.
