East Cheshire Hospice has launched its Christmas@Home appeal.

The appeal aims to highlight the importance of giving patients the choice to spend their final days in the comfort of their own home.

At the heart of the campaign is a moving personal account from Ruth Beach, who shares how the Hospice @Home team supported her late mum, Wendy Wragg, in April 2023.

Wendy, a former silk mill worker from Macclesfield, had lived with Ruth for more than five years as her pulmonary fibrosis worsened, spending several weeks in hospital before returning home.

She said: "I knew mum wanted to be at home and organised an end-of-life package but quickly realised we couldn't give her the care she needed.

"As an only child, I felt completely alone and overwhelmed. How was I going to care for her and make sure everything was right?

"A nurse suggested getting the Hospice @Home team to help. The moment they walked into our home, everything changed, it was as though a weight had been lifted. They were like angels.

"I felt comforted, cared for, supported and it was such a relief that I finally had somebody to lean on. They made mum comfortable, washed her, and dealt with her medication.

"With the Hospice @Home nurses there, I could go back to being a daughter again.

"It was mum's wish to be at home. It meant the world to her and me. Her final moments were so peaceful with me and our dog, Esther, by her side."

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The Hospice @Home team (Credit: East Cheshire Hospice)

Last year, the Hospice @Home team supported 501 patients and families in their own homes.

Ruth hopes her story will inspire others to donate so that more families can experience the same compassionate care that she and her mum did. 

Tess Cleaver, manager of the Hospice @Home service, said: "For some of our patients and their loved ones, this will be the last Christmas they share together, so every moment matters more than ever. With your help, we can make those moments truly precious.

"We believe that people facing the end of life should have the choice to receive care wherever they feel most comfortable. Our team of experienced specialist nurses and highly trained healthcare assistants ensure people have the dignity and comfort they deserve when life feels most fragile.

"We give family who have become carers the chance to go back to being mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, or brothers."

How the Christmas @Home appeal can make a difference

£25 could pay for telephone calls offering emotional support to someone grieving around Christmas.

£60 could fill the tank of a Hospice @Home car, helping nurses reach patients in their own homes and care for them with compassion.

£150 could enable the team to fulfil a patient's wish to be at home this Christmas.

Tess added: "This Christmas, please help us bring choice, compassionate care, and cherished moments. Your gift will make a real difference for families facing the hardest of times."

To donate visit www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/christmas-appeal-2025.

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