Pippa Williams from East Cheshire Hospice has issued a heartfelt thank you on behalf of the charity to its bed appeal donors, as the hospice hit its £95,000 target.
The appeal to provide patients with “much-needed” new specialist beds aimed to buy 16 beds – a total cost of £95,648.
The appeal was taken up across the area, with a number of local groups holding events and donating the money to the hospice, which has reached its target and ordered the beds.
Ms Williams, the inpatient unit ward manager at the hospice, said: “I want to thank everyone who has donated so generously to our appeal. It’s so touching to see that our community has come through for us again.
“Their incredible support has made it possible for us to go ahead and buy new and upgraded beds. These beds will help us provide the best possible care to our patients.”
All 16 beds will now be replaced with up-to-date models after a successful public appeal.
At the launch of the appeal in June, Claire Barber, the hospice’s clinical services manager, said that after 10 years of constant use, the hospice “desperately needs” to replace its specialist beds.
She said: “These beds are the most vital piece of equipment in end-of-life care. They bring comfort, dignity and safety to those at their most vulnerable.
“They help us relieve pain, manage breathlessness, support rest, prevent pressure ulcers, and enable safe, gentle movement.
“But they also do so much more than that.
“These beds are less clinical than traditional hospital beds and help us create a warm, peaceful, and welcoming environment.
“They make it possible for patients to share a meal with their loved ones, enjoy the sunshine in the garden, or simply hold hands with someone dear.
“They truly are so much more than just a bed.”
All 15 beds in the inpatient unit need replacing, along with another in the Sunflower Living Well Centre. Each bed costs £5,978.
The hospice said it could no longer obtain replacement parts for existing beds. Latest models which embrace new technology were “far more suitable for patients”, the hospice said.
