Leeds family pay tribute to '˜outstanding care' at hospice

A Leeds family have backed a new fundraising campaign to boost funds for Wheatfields Hospice which they said had given 'outstanding care' to their grandmother before she died.
Wheatfields Hospice, Headingley. Picture by Simon HulmeWheatfields Hospice, Headingley. Picture by Simon Hulme
Wheatfields Hospice, Headingley. Picture by Simon Hulme

The Headingley hospice has launched a Mother’s Day campaign to raise vital funds to support its services and is also hosting a ‘Walk for Wheatfields’ event on Saturday March 10 along the Meanwood Valley Trail.

Among those backing the campaign is Lesley Saville whose mum Mavis died at the hospice aged 81 after a battle with bowel cancer.

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Lesley said her family were astonished at the professionalism of staff and that it was clear their main focus was always the patients, and “everything was done to make their final days as comfortable and ironically as happy as possible”.

The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.
The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.

She said: “The whole experience was all about the patient and offering a personalised approach. For me this was the small things like the chef Norman who used to come in every day to ask ‘what do you want today?’ – he never said ‘this is what is on the menu’ – through to the volunteers always smiling, always happy to help with anything.”

She said it was a surprise to find the hospice filled with “laughter and joy” and Mavis’ last wdays were full of “care, compassion and smiles”.

Lesley said: “Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice gave us and mum what she wanted for the end of her life which was to be pain free, peaceful and to have us with her. Wheatfields Hospice made this possible as we were allowed to be with mum for as long as we wanted day or night. They helped to remove the fear of dying for her and us and actually allowed us to laugh, drink Champagne – true – and smile muuch more than we thought possible.”

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Wheatfields Hospice is trying to raise £11,000 through its Mother’s Day campaign – the cost of funding one day’s care. To donate visit www. http://bit.ly/2EV8SBj

The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.
The late Mavis Saville, centre, surrounded by her family.

For more information on the Walk for Wheatfields event, visit www.sueryder.org/wheatfieldswalk.

**The Yorkshire Evening Post supports both Wheatfields Hospice and St Gemma’s Hospice though Half and Half Appeal - the longest running newspaper charity campaign in the country. Having raised £2.9m since 1982, we are now trying to top the £3m target. Visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/YEPHalfandHalfAppeal to donate.