Dr. Aristos and Ruth	Dr. Lorna Morrrish

Brief background to & funding of, The Friends’ Hospice

OUR OBJECTIVE

To provide ‘palliative, respite and terminal care’ to any persons in need, due to a life-limiting, untreatable illness or condition – without regard to their race, religion or ability to pay.

Contact Hospice Manager for Admissions/advice/referrals:
Ruth Marsh RGN – Hospice manager: 99 79 10 52 at any time.

We are a voluntary organisation, based in Paphos Cyprus, a member of the World-wide Hospice Movement and run by a Volunteer Committee of Trustees, who receive no payment for their time.

With generous co-operation from The Evangelismos Hospital, we opened our Independent Hospice Unit there on the 3rd April 2006, our first patient was admitted the next day.

From July 2007 we expanded into our dedicated 4 (possible 6) bed wing at Evangelismos; with our own professional Hospice Manager Ruth Marsh RGN & nursing staff. We are now able to take advantage of the kind offers of help from our volunteer nurses, carers and therapists who regularly assist at the hospice. We are very grateful to them.

We are proud that half or more of our patients have been Greek Cypriots, while the others were British and other expatriates, so we are fulfilling our aim to be a truly universal and non-denominational free service. To Dec 2009 we had cared for over 300 patients.

This Hospice Service is intended for short term palliative care, and not for long term medical treatment – basically patients should be referred to the Hospice when medical treatment becomes ineffective, and nothing more can be done towards a ‘cure’ for them.

Palliative care will make them as comfortable as is possible physically, spiritually and mentally. They can be admitted for control of their symptoms or pain relief, before returning home, or for a pre-agreed period to give respite to their carers.

It is a little known fact that some 70% of our patients are able to return home after a period of care.

If they then have to come in for the last time they will be familiar with their comfortable surroundings, and can end their days in a dignified and caring atmosphere.

Costs/Funding: The cost of care, of approximately €28.000 per month for 2009 is met by The Friends out of current funds - it is always free to patients.

The number of care beds we can run (currently four) is limited by the cost and the availability of the specialist nursing staff required (on a 24/7 basis) that we can budget for.

Please help if you can…

Our funding is purely voluntary and entirely charitable – No Government or other official funding is received – the generosity of individual people, organisations, clubs, groups, and we hope local businesses, enables us to provide the comforting environment within which very sick people can receive palliative care.

Our funding is 100% transparent, all donations are receipted, and our annual accounts are audited, and available on request to donors.

Think - one day someone you love may need us…

For more detals on Hospice care please click