We’re tackling inequalities with an ambitious new strategy and look
We’re delighted to today announce a bold new strategy and unveil a vibrant new look aimed at tackling inequalities in palliative and end of life care.
News
News, stories and information from St Christopher's
The power of peer support: why Mick returns to the place he thought he would die
After thinking he would die on our in-patient unit Mick now returns to St Christopher's every week for our Bereavement Help Point.
Bereavement group helps young widow Jane rebuild her life
Two years after the death of her husband and bolstered by the ‘life-changing’ sessions, Jane feels able to start again - on the Isle of Wight.
Nurse Patrick’s marathon efforts touch people’s lives
Passion for person-centred care motivates our ward manager every day.
MND conference raises awareness of disease and importance of patients’ voice
While raising awareness was a clear aim of the event, the most striking recurring theme was the need to listen to and guide the patient while finding the right volume for their voice.
GPNN nurses championing advancing palliative nursing
GPNN Champion Farah Demachkieh shares her inspiration and vision for the future of palliative care nursing
Cyril and Janet’s story
Read about what Cyril will never forget about his wife Janet, who died at the hospice in August 2022.
Anne’s story
Life’s lottery convinces Anne to donate every month
Creative connections made at a conference
Close to 100 doulas, physiotherapists, creative art therapists and clinicians packed out the St Christopher’s Centre for Awareness and Response to End of Life for the sixth Facing Death Creatively conference.
Tricia and Vee’s story
"I’ll never forget our chats on the phone". Tricia shares her special memories of her daughter, Vee.
Frances’s story
Eighty-two year old makes friends, raises funds and finds a ‘twin’ in Orpington shop
Waltraut’s story
Ninety three years young: Petts Wood pensioner vouches for value of volunteering
Influencer Emma’s mission to make us all charity shop treasure hunters
With so many great bargains to be had, Emma can’t understand why anyone bothers buying new
Kerry and Roberto’s story
In their darkest hour Kerry and her Italian husband Roberto found a much-needed second family at St Christopher’s
St Christopher’s nurse grateful her book was presented to Pope Francisco
Clinical Nurse Specialist Maria Aparicio explains more
I am definitely in a better place
Providing two women with a safe space to talk about the deaths of close family members for the first time after many years, is symptomatic of the success of the Croydon Death Literacy project.
The struggle to talk about death, dying, loss & healthcare
Black History Month - Coming from a Black British Caribbean household, my family believes it is important to live life to the fullest, and that death is a normal part of life and we should embrace that we won’t be around forever.
We’re tackling inequalities with an ambitious new strategy and look
Our new brand matches our vision for a world in which everyone has access to care and support whenever and wherever they need it.
Mike and Marita’s story
Seventy-seven-year-old petrolhead Mike shows no sign of hitting the brakes despite raising more than £50,000 with classic car show.
Creative arts therapies conference brings medics and therapists together
Mandy Bruce tells us more about this fully interactive and engaging conference
Learning to be a leader
Kate Wilson shares how she's learned that her weaknesses can be her strengths
Surprise lottery win makes Kay sew happy
A win on the St Christopher's lottery has enabled a retired teacher to invest in a new pastime that’s helping sick children.
Dying Matters at Work: Our sensitive dates calendar
For Dying Matters Week this year we focused on supporting conversations around death and dying at work, particularly for our staff and volunteers.
My fantasy funeral would be like a Viking Funeral
Our longest serving employee shares his fantasy funeral.
Blast from the past: four decades of visits from Bernese Mountain dogs
Leslie has been bringing his Bernese Mountain dogs to the hospice since 1985
Tom Allen: There’s so much positivity at St Christopher’s
Our ambassador speaks about his love for the hospice, his thoughts on dealing with grief, and what he imagines his own funeral to look like.
Loss and Legacy in our community
We’re working to help members of the public and the local community to explore loss.
A day in the life of our Learning Disability specialist nurse
As our first ever Learning Disabilities CNS, Phoebe Mooney is affecting real change across the organisation and within palliative care. She tells us all about her plans for the role.
Our top tips on speaking to children about death, dying and grief
How can I talk to children about death and grief? Honesty is the best policy…
Connect with St Christopher’s
We're delighted to introduce the latest issue of Connect - our biannual magazine which showcases our community and work at St Christopher’s.
Second Hand September
Come and visit one of our 23 shops with items of quality clothing in need of a new home and find yourself a bargain pre-loved outfit. Together, we can all be Champions for Change – starting this September.
Why become a champion of the Global Palliative Nursing Network?
Learn with others, develop your skills and be part of the next generation of leaders.
Save The Last Dance
Eddie’s long-held desire to surprise his wife Rita with a last dance
Hospice care fit for the future: a rehabilitative approach
Join us at our Multi-Professional Academy to see how you and your organisation can provide personalised end of life care for a steadily increasing number of older people.
Meet our new Trustees
Read about our new trustees and their experiences
Join us to Remember with Ribbons this summer
Join our colourful display of remembrance and dedicate a ribbon in memory
When community and professional learning collide
Maaike Vandeweghe shares details of our new person-centred approach to education
How do doctors and nurses respond to deathbed phenomena?
PhD student working as Healthcare Assistant on St Christopher’s wards to study clinicians’ reaction to patients’ experiences
‘Boutique Harrods’ at the heart of Bromley community
Store Manager Jacqui reaps reward of ideal mix of quality, customer service and community spirit in Chatterton Road shop
Introducing the Global Palliative Nursing Network
Marie Cooper shares news of our new international community
Nurse development programme scores multiple successes
Less than halfway through the year, Clinical Nurse Specialist Kate attributes her promotion to our development programme
Nightingale Fellowship and St Christopher’s Hospice
Introducing a great partnership to ensure that nursing efforts are sustained
Shakun’s Story
From acupuncture to benefits advice, dietetics to occupational therapy, retired probation officer, Shakun, is feeling the benefit of many of our services.
£500,000 fundraising effort a huge success as target smashed
Thank you so much for your dedicated support!
Wendy and Glenn’s story
Wendy McMahon reminisces the brief time she shared with her husband Glenn
Every bag of donations is like a lucky dip
Managing our Streatham store is a match made in heaven for its manager Anabel
Shaping End of Life with a Focus on Dementia
10 key learnings and calls to action from our recent Dementia Conference
Volunteers’ Week: Judith and Jacky’s stories
It’s Volunteers’ Week – the prefect time thank all of the amazing 1070 individuals who give up their time and skills so we can support 8,000 people a year
Cancer Chemo and Me – an exhibition
Our new exhibition opens on 14 June at St Christopher’s CARE. Artist Griselda Mussett tells us what inspired her very personal collection of work.
Four months in…
Kate Wilson reflects on the positive impact our Development Programme is having on her, her colleagues and patients
Making bereavement your business
In response to a recent call to action, we’re hosting a conference, Bereavement and Loss: Time for Change!
Rehabilitation in Palliative Care
St Christopher's Physiotherapist Gail Preston talks about our latest skills workshops and why rehabilitative palliative care is vital to patient wellbeing
Pioneering new programme helps Kate break through clinical ceiling
Hospice Clinical Nurse Specialist says unique course is helping her find her own way to be a leader.
A Living Wake? What’s that…
Read Tim's story on how he confronted his terminal diagnosis with a celebration of his life!
A celebration of nursing
Heather Richardson shares her excitement for our May nursing conference and introduces our stellar line up of speakers
Sudha Bhuchar: Navigating death through the prism of faith and culture
Sudha shares her experiences with death and funeral planning
Evelyn Lockley: Irish rituals and introducing her boyfriend to her dead grandfather
Evelyn Lockley shares her opinions on death, dying and bereavement.
Lewis Schaffer – Complicated relationships with his parents and residual trauma from their deaths
Lewis discusses death within his family
Steve N Allen: Alzheimers, COVID-19 and laughing at his mum’s funeral
Steve N Allen tells us about his experiences of loss and grief
Shobna Gulati: A refreshing approach to dementia
Have you ever thought about your fantasy funeral, pondered your dream epitaph or wondered what you do if knew you had a week left on Earth?
How nurses can use data to drive more personalised care
Louise Cave, speaker at our nursing conference on 12 May, shares her views on the role digital technology plays in the health service
Care Homes: a major investment opportunity
Maaike Vandeweghe shares her reflections on our latest Care Homes conference
How Palliative Discovery re-centred me
Senior palliative care nurse Annette Redwood describes how Palliative Discovery has boosted her career as a hands-on nurse and as an educator
Hospice in the Weald
Lantern Model reinforces why what matters to the patient is everyone’s business
Independent Prescribers Community of Practice
Fiona Hodson and Mary Watson tell us more about our new programme for prescribers.
Pioneering Nurse Stella reaches new heights
Two years after being named as one of St Christopher’s 30 Pioneering Nurses, Stella Mwari Rithara, has recently been accepted onto the board of the prestigious International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC).
Race for life!
Mum and daughter team Sandra and Sarah Goodwin ran the London Marathon last October, after Sarah’s granddad was cared for at the hospice.
International Women’s Day at St Christopher’s Hospice
We spoke to several women who work at the hospice and asked for their thoughts on the day.
A day in the life of…. A Clinical Paramedic Specialist
"There’s only a couple of hospices across the country that employ paramedics. It’s still really new.”
My Fantasy Funeral
Marketing Manager Nadia Simon shares her idea of a perfect send-off
Measuring the Effectiveness of Palliative Care: conference summary
Learnings and outcomes from our conference
Our sea of snowdrops at Down House
Discover how our beautiful installation came together.
The secret to sensitive conversations is…
St Christopher’s Visiting Lecturer and Clinical Nurse Specialist shares her insights on mastering communication with patients and their families and explains why our Sensitive Conversations course is a must for all.
Peter and Carol’s Story
Reflexology helps patient Peter and his wife relax
Understanding the value of care homes
Half-day conference on 14 March is an opportunity to celebrate care homes and empower them for the future
Angela’s Story
Newly qualified nurse, Angela Embaló, tells us how our free community of practice has built her competence and confidence
Visit to Bangladesh teaches Maaike so much
Resourcefulness, dedication and commitment to care of professionals and volunteers, leave our Senior Educationalist in awe.
Making connections
In her latest blog, Maaike Vandeweghe shares her learnings from the recent Hospice UK conference.
From Pain to Pleasure
Teach with CARE course helps nurse Hannah learn to love teaching
Kirsty and Freya’s story
Kirsty and Freya are remembering Chris with a Snowdrop for St Christopher's. Read their story.
Introducing our new podcast: Dead Good!
Six engaging and entertaining episodes encouraging more people to think and talk about death, dying and loss
Melvyn’s Story
Constant pain can have a seriously debilitating effect. Retired banker Melvyn Randolph describes how regular acupuncture sessions have improved his quality of life.
How important is outcome measurement?
Heather Richardson, Director of Education, Research and End of Life Policy at St Christopher's discusses the collection and use of data by palliative care teams
Silva shines Lantern light on palliative care in Lebanon
Lantern Model Programme has inspired clinical instructor in Beirut to transform the way she teaches nurses
Is it weird I never want it to end?
Clinical Nurse Specialist Maxine Last says sharing experiences and ideas with fellow professionals from around the world on the Lantern Model Programme has helped take her career to new heights.
International students inspired to deliver change
Multi-Professional Academy students supported by Women in Fellowship return home ready to push boundaries
Looking forward to Hospice UK conference
Our Senior Educationalist, Maaike Vandeweghe, looks ahead to Hospice UK’s annual conference and urges readers to take inspiration from its forward looking theme to engage in our ambitious conference programme for 2023.
Hilary’s Story
Three years after holding her husband’s hand as he died at the hospice, Hilary Lambert has returned as a volunteer.
Power in Partnership: Joining the Dots of MND care
Control, communication, choice and, yes, cures; delegates leave MND Conference with clear messages of hope
Kathy’s story: the cost of living crisis
The cost of living crisis is having a serious impact on the dying, their families, carers and the bereaved.
How do we secure the future of the art of nursing?
Supporting health care professionals as they provide essential holistic care at end of life
Sarah’s story
Sarah sells cosmetics to fundraise for St Christopher's in memory of her grandfather.
‘Since I joined Palliative Discovery, I’ve been won over.’
Carmel says her experience of the programme has made a huge difference to the way she feels about her return to nursing.
‘We noticed the dementia about six years ago’
Pippa from our Education team reflects on her own mother's Alzheimer's as we prepare to organise another dementia course for professionals.
‘We need to address homelessness’
"If people who are homeless aren’t accessing health and social care, they’re also not accessing end of life care and that is our business and our responsibility"
“It’s made me feel really inspired about my teaching”
How Teach with CARE empowers and motivates people who teach and train to engage their learners in the most effective way possible
Newly Qualified Nurses’ Community of Practice
There's still time to join our virtual Community of Practice for newly qualified nurses
Making a difference to people facing the end of life
The Lantern Model programme is bringing together individual nurses, nurse managers, professional development leads and chief nurses
Power in partnership: Joining the dots of MND care
Don't miss our Motor Neurone Disease Annual Conference 2022 on Friday 16 September 2022 at St Christopher's CARE, in collaboration with Kings College, London.
Heather Richardson awarded ‘Burdett Hero’
Burdett Trust for Nursing recognises Heather Richardson as a ‘Burdett Hero’ for pioneering the St Christopher’s Palliative Discovery programme
Introducing a model of holistic rehabilitative palliative care
Recognising the vital importance of a holistic approach to assessment and interventions on the part of professionals
Teach with CARE or don’t teach at all
Maaike Vandeweghe, Senior Educationalist at St Christopher's CARE shares her thoughts on how teaching can have a big influence on practice.
Sharing a passion for palliative care
Rosina is looking forward to sharing her passion for palliative care with health and social care assistants and home carers in Bromley.
Bridging the gap between practice and education
Maria shares her philosophy on teaching and learning and passion for palliative care
Palliative care – could it be your next career move?
Join our taster day on 5 July!
Rehabilitation in Palliative Care: Contemporary Opportunities
Join us on 1 July
Jane’s carer story
Jane cared for her dad, Gordon, whilst he was living with cancer.
Telling Stories with the Museum of London
Ten people share their experiences of bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic
Rose’s Story
Rose volunteered at our Sydenham shop for more than 25 years!
Kate’s story
Find out how we supported Kate and her father, Ron.
Connecting to Cameroon
How our Fellowship Programme and Tour App impacts across the world
Val and Sheila’s story
Our Wellbeing timetable has been vital for the two friends.
Roger’s story
Volunteer Roger has put his banking background into practice with St Christopher's Gift Aid
Sarah and Ben’s story
Ben talks about his wife Sarah and how they were supported by St Christopher's
Lara’s story
Before Lara died in May this year, she shared with us her experience of being looked after by the hospice during lockdown
Mike’s story
Here's how Mike is stepping up for St Christopher's
Leon’s story
An original poem created by Leon Silver, 'Loss' is a beautiful and heartfelt piece dedicated to his wife Maria.
Julie’s story
"Klaus' experience changed mine, from what could have been a lastingly painful one into a bearable, acceptable one"
Joe’s story
"Why I think Coach4Care is so important"
Marcos’ story
Marcos Viliotti, Complementary Therapist, tells us why he loves his job
Mesmerising Māori music
Your support brings families and cultures together for a musical extravaganza
A bittersweet symphony
Andre and his family have been taking part in a songwriting project
Learning from each other with Coach4Care
Supporting carers across the community
Being a Compassionate Neighbour
Ivy Zaman explains why she joined the Compassionate Neighbours scheme
How graffiti saved my dad’s life (at least for a while)
Find out how Gordon's love of photography kept him going through his illness
Sue Gilder’s story
Sue is a Spiritual Care Volunteer at St Christopher's
Terry Hammond and Claudette Geddes’ story
Celebrating our volunteers
Alison Tucker’s Story
Alison Tucker has been Volunteering at St Christopher’s for the last five years
Nick White’s story
We asked volunteer Nick to tell us about his experience of volunteering at St Christopher’s
William Wilson’s story
William pursued a lifelong love of music at St Christopher's
Stephen’s story
Stephen has been volunteering at St Christopher's for nine years
Katie Hill’s story
"Nothing about walking into St Christopher’s makes you sad"
Chris Smith’s story
Chris Smith attended one of our Remembering with St Christopher's events in 2017
Stuart’s story
Stuart is the Principal of the BRIT School who work closely with St Christopher's
Mwandida and Daria’s stories
How international students are gaining new skills from our education programme
The Mandish Family’s story
"It's just what I needed; respite from it all and the chance to chat to other people"
Helma’s Story
Helma’s husband, Martin, received support from St Christopher’s before his death in March 2017
Emily’s Story
Emily’s father, Richard, died at St Christopher’s in April 2018
A day in the life of…Isabel
Isabel has been a nurse for over fourteen years and cares for patients living in Lewisham
A friend for life
Holly and Belinda talk about how their friendship started in the smoking shelter at St Christopher's
Debbie and William’s story
William, aged six: “I like to do the walk with my family and friends to raise money for St Christopher’s because my mummy died there and the money will help to look after other people and buy equipment to help them”
For me and many others, St Christopher’s is somewhere to come to live, not to die
Richard Carter is 52 and has lived in Orpington all his life. In 2016 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and began coming to St Christopher’s in April 2017
Will’s Story
"He was allowed to pass away with dignity and pain free – this is the greatest gift you can give to the family of a terminally ill loved one"
Charlotte Smith’s story
"St Christopher's was our beacon of hope"
Shelagh’s story
"When I walk into here, it is like a different world"
Stefanie’s story
"Coming to the Summer School was a real eye-opener for me. We spent time talking about death and the stigma around it; it made me realise how important it was not to be afraid to talk openly about dying."
Steven and Andrew’s story
"Getting married was really important to us. Once we did it, it felt like we’d always been married and it definitely felt like the right thing to do."
Julie Muir’s story
"It was so amazing to spend time like that as a family during the worst time of my life. Even our dog was able to visit!"
Gina Dyer’s story
"Every time I think of St Christopher's it always brings a warm feeling in my heart"
Julia France’s story
"When you lose a loved one you have a blanket of sadness and people become trapped in it. I’ve let the love that I have for Sadie breathe"
Theresa Geldart’s story
"When you first hear the word hospice you do get a bit panicky but they reassure you and they’re not just there for end of life care - they’re there all the time"
Ollie’s story
"As soon as Mum was admitted, we all knew that she would be very well looked after; nothing was ever too much trouble for the staff"
Natalie Wimpress’ story
Natalie is a Health Care Assistant based in the hospice
Chris Mangar’s story
Chris is a Clinical Nurse Specialist based in the community
