29th April 2022
Forget-Me-Not Appeal launched
Nottinghamshire Hospice has today launched its Forget-Me-Not appeal to help it meet growing demand on its bereavement services.
Last year the hospice provided more than 17,000 hours of one-to-one support to people grieving the loss of a loved one, and the number of bereaved people it supports is increasing.
The hospice provides a safe, supportive environment for people to grieve in and offers different levels of support depending how complex the grief is. It also provides counselling for patients coping with a life-limiting condition as well as pre-bereavement support for their significant others.
Debbie Hastings, Bereavement Services Manager at Nottinghamshire Hospice, -pictured below, said: “Since the pandemic we’ve had an unprecedented number of people needing support. People are experiencing more complex grief and have not been able to grieve in the way they might have wanted.
“We’ve found that people contacting our bereavement service are struggling more with grief and taking longer to process and accept it so may need support for longer.
“By supporting our Forget-Me-Not appeal you will help us reach more people who need a safe space to grieve and at the same time remember your own loved ones.
“You can make a donation online or buy one of our beautiful Forget-Me-Not pin badges in memory of someone special so you can take their memory with you wherever you go.”
Louise’s story
Louise sought pre-bereavement counselling at Nottinghamshire Hospice after her mum, aged 61, received a shock diagnosis of stage 4 liver cancer last year. The 12- session programme has helped Louise build resilience, cope with overwhelming emotions and support other family members.
Louise, who has two young children, said: “When we received Mum’s diagnosis I felt like I was drowning in emotion. It was hard to breathe, it was hard to sleep, and facing my every day commitments on top of that was challenging to say the least. The sessions reminded me of my resilience and ability to cope.
“I wasn’t aware that pre-bereavement counselling existed, but it’s been a lifeline when I didn’t have anywhere to turn.
“I can’t imagine having gone through this period so far without that support in place. I was able to express my heartbreak for us all in a safe, supportive space.
“Being able to talk through changes to Mum’s situation each week and express my emotions has been like releasing a pressure valve, creating a space inside my head and enabling me to keep up with everyday responsibilities and pressures.
“It’s helped me prepare for conversations with my children and support my dad too. Even though I’ve been the one in the sessions, the whole family has benefitted.”
How to support the appeal
You can support the appeal by:
- Giving once to help now
- Starting a monthly gift to help the hospice all year round
- Purchasing a beautiful Forget-Me-Not pin badge in memory of someone special
- Dedicating a flower to a loved one to make our virtual Forget-Me-Not Meadow bloom
- Telling a friend about Nottinghamshire Hospice’s services
You can also call us on 0115 910 1008 option 5 if you’d prefer to do any of the above by telephone.
Donations to the appeal can provide
- £15 funds a bereavement support session
- £45 funds an hour of counselling
- £80 funds a wellbeing session