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When Jo Wood’s mum, Sue, called on hospice services 18 years ago, Jo was overwhelmed by the level of care their family received.
“Hospice was a service I knew very little about, believing it was just for the elderly at the very end,” Jo, a mother of four from Wellsford, says. “I soon realised that the support was a lot broader and deeper.
Right from diagnosis of a terminal illness, hospice is there and it has the people, the resources and knowledge.”
Sue, who lived in Northland, was originally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, then lung cancer and, finally, bone cancer. She was cared for at home by her local hospice over a period of two years and sometimes went in for short stays for symptom management.
Jo and her sister moved back home to help.
“It’s a different type of care. The doctors are specialists so they’re able to help with pain levels, but more than that, it was that they all – doctors, nurses, everyone – seemed to understand how we were feeling.
“They were open and transparent with us. When one medication wasn’t working, they tried something new, and they listened to our suggestions because they were there for us 24/7.”
Three years ago, Jo saw an ad in this local paper: ‘Create a Will, for free, when you leave a gift in your Will to Harbour Hospice’. For Jo, there was no question.
She says hospice had done so much for her family, so she discussed it with her children, who were completely on board.
“The way I’ve structured it is that my house goes to the kids and my KiwiSaver will be divided between Harbour Hospice and another charity. I’ve always tried to teach the kids that it’s important to have a charity close to your heart, something altruistic, to give to the community. This is me being a living example of that.”
September is Wills Month, and Harbour Hospice has partnered with lawyers Paxton-Penman et al in Warkworth, Denham Bramwell Lawyers and Simpson Western North Lawyers for the month of September. Creating or amending a simple Will can be done for free if it includes a gift for Harbour Hospice.
To learn more, contact Harbour Hospice planned giving manager Suzie Smith on 021 226 2741 or suzie.smith@harbourhospice.org.nz
