Hospice bids farewell to director Trish Gillies
Successes, challenges, new projects discussed
Sunshine Coast Hospice held its community report-back meeting at the Hospice office last Thursday.
The meeting covered issues the organisation has faced, their finances and their fundraising efforts thus far.
The annual report was presented by Terry Harris, who first welcomed and thanked everyone present for attending the meeting.
A candle was lit to remember all those who have passed on.
“The opportunity to reflect on another year in the life of Grahamstown [Makhanda] and Sunshine Coast Hospice is cause for reflection, amazement, and overwhelming gratitude.
“The quality of palliative care and services provided by our passionate staff and volunteers, the excellence in our administrative function and the astonishing feats and fundraising makes it all possible,” Harris said.
“Our continued partnerships with national and international funders, including the department of health, Foundation for Professional Development (FDP), USAID through the University of Research Council and the National Lotteries Commission, have brought challenging workloads but many targets met with wide outreach and vital resources.
“I want to make a special mention of our generous partner, Haven Hospice in Florida USA, for their ongoing support over many years,” he said.
Among aspects raised in the annual report were projects the organisation has incorporated with the department of health with regards to the strategic policy of testing and treating.
The projects have been target-driven, with 1,000 HIV tests done and 120 TB patients supported monthly.
Director Trish Gillies, in her report, touched on these projects and how proud they were of how the organisation had grown over the past number of years.
“We have responded to the changing needs in health care.
“In spite of the tough economy, we have done well.
“As chairperson of the Eastern Province Hospice Association, I am very aware of the tough reality smaller hospices are facing, many of which have reduced their services and staff, and face possible closure.
“We are enormously grateful for the opportunities we have been afforded over the past year,” Gillies said.
Hospice administrator Angela Hibbert said that as a team, they had been stretched to adjust to a different landscape over the past two years, with the introduction of new projects.
“These projects, adopted in support of health, have offered our organisation a measure of financial aid in the absence of available funding for Hospice care and have assisted us in building capacity with worthwhile opportunities availed in training and skills development.
“We have seen challenges for the opportunities they present and individual team members have demonstrated growth and professional development as they have assumed key responsibilities on the project,” Hibbert said.
Before the meeting was closed, it was announced that Gillies would be leaving Hospice in October.