Ashgate HospiceDragonfly Appeal
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00:00I'd heard of Ashgate, I knew that Ashgate as a as a place existed but I literally knew nothing
00:10about it other than it was a place that people went to die which is obviously what people normally
00:14think of with the hospice and that's just completely the wrong impression. Sue received
00:20her first diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis over 40 years ago then eventually she developed side
00:26effects of liver scarring, diabetes and then towards the end of her life she was diagnosed
00:32with a faulty heart valve which turned into terminal heart failure. She needed something more than the
00:38Royal could offer and that's when Ashgate was suggested to us. We knew the inevitable was going
00:42to come and Ashgate was so serene, so calm, it did, it's wonderful. I practically lived at Ashgate,
00:52I visited every day. The cafe ladies made me a Sunday lunch, you know I was part of the staff,
00:58I felt part, it was like a second family, it was wonderful. Throughout the whole you know the whole
01:05time when mum was alive there was so much support and then since mum's died then you've carried on
01:09having support from from the hospice haven't you dad? I was invited to the bereavement meetings
01:14which I went to from the bereavement meetings three of us meet up every every few weeks and
01:19have lunch. The common factor even though we're all strangers the common factor of course is bereavement
01:24and the way Ashgate handled those bereavement meetings you didn't realise that she was doing
01:29it professionally it was like talking to a friend. Until you actually experience it you don't know
01:35what it's about. The care is about the person, the patient and tailoring the care to the patient and
01:42what the patient wants, what the patient needs, the love and the laughter. There's so much laughter there
01:47as well which I think is is something that people probably don't expect is is there is laughter.
01:52You just feel so relaxed going through that door it's like entering a different world all the chaos
01:58is left behind and you're in this calm loving friendly supportive atmosphere. The pleasure that
02:06Sue got just being wheelchaired out into the garden, her face lit up and the overall feeling of
02:12oh thank goodness we're here. Ashgate just you know gives you something that nowhere else can.
02:18Nowhere else can. Mum liked it when there were the animals that came into the hospice so you know
02:23Bobby Dazzler that used to come in. The lady who brought Bobby Dazzler in used to bring in treats
02:27and Bobby Dazzler would wait by the bed for mum to give him a treat which just was really really lovely
02:32and then towards the end of mum's care in the hospice a pony actually came in as well and you were there
02:37on that day weren't you when the pony came in. This appeal and these dragonflies represent so much
02:42fresh gait and you know hopefully it will generate the income that you need so so desperately to be able
02:48to support families but what you give to everybody I don't think anybody can fully give back to you guys
02:53what you give to us. Mum loves Chatsworth. She absolutely loved it here and I think she'd be
03:02quite astounded that her name is going to be associated with with Chatsworth and then you know
03:08it to be linked with Ashgate as well which gave her so much care and love I think she just wouldn't
03:13really know what to make of it and she would be absolutely astounded.