‘ CITY HOSPICE WAS WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY’
Tribute to Pollok super- gran who tragically died as hospice launches annual appeal
CHRISSIE McNeill loved Christmas. The Pollok great- gran gathered her family around her on Christmas Eve, as daughter Kellyanne Baillie explains.
“It was her favourite time of year,” she says. “We’d all go to my mum’s for 6pm and open our presents, and my mum would stand in the living room beaming down at us all as the carnage unfolded in front of her.
“It was amazing. She spoiled all the kids, and gave us our Christmas Eve we’d go.”
Chrissie died in September, a year after she was diagnosed with a rare vulval cancer.
“Last year she had the treatment and was given the all clear but in May, it came back,” says Kellyanne.
“The doctors told us it was very aggressive. My mum was very clear – she did not want to go into hospital.
“She was determined to stay at home, so me and my sisters decided we would do it ourselves – jammies, and off we’d look after her at home.” Kellyanne and her sisters, Marie, Christine and Pauline, did their mum proud, taking care of her every need with the support of Pollok’s District Nurses, until it became clear they needed extra help.
“The nurses, Morna and Nicole, were absolutely amazing and we will be forever grateful to them,” says Kellyanne, her voice breaking with emotion. “When my mum’s pain was getting too much for her, they suggested we contact the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice. Right away, Claire from the hospice’s community team just couldn’t do enough for us – she was with us every step of the way.”
Claire Hendry, Community Clinical Nurse Specialist, helped the family continue to care for Chrissie in her own home.
“She organised pain relief, sorted out a prescription delivery service, helped us make a plan of action and called us every week,” says Kellyanne. “It was amazing.”
Chrissie was born and bred in Pollok. She was married to Thomas, who died 10 years ago, and had four daughters, eight granddaughters, three great- granddaughters and one great- grandson. Chrissie loved holidays, shopping and most of all, to chat.
“She knew everything about everyone,” laughs Kellyanne. “I don’t know where the people of Pollok are going to get their gossip from now she’s gone.”
“My gran was very agrees Kellyanne’s talkative,” daughter
Kacey, 13. “I miss her very much.”
Janette McGarvey, the PPWH’s young person’s development worker, helped Kacey deal with some of the emotions surrounding her gran’s illness.
“Janette was really good, she talked to me and explained what was happening,” says Kacey. “Sometimes she would just listen and that really helped.”
Chrissie’s family are supporting the PPWH’s much- loved annual Light Up A Life ceremony, which is moving online due to current restrictions. This year, the service will be offered virtually to registered attendees on Sunday, December 6 at 3pm. Visit the PPWH website for more information.
Rhona Baillie, chief executive, says: “To ensure everyone’s health and safety, this year’s celebration is being held virtually.
“While it will be a different experience, we hope it will be just as special and people will join us from their own homes and we can come together in remembering their loved ones.”
For Chrissie McNeill’s family, Christmas will never be the same again.
“It won’t be the same without her,” says Kellyanne, softly. “But at 6pm on Christmas Eve, we’ll all meet up, same as usual, and open our presents together – because that’s the way she would have wanted it.”