Celebrating the life of loved ones
OVER the last year, many of us have missed out on celebrations or have been unable to mark key milestones with our loved ones in the ways we would have wished.
For many of us, the difficulties of grief and loss have been exacerbated by distance from those closest to us, from the thoughts of time lost with the people we care about most, and the inability to properly get together and remember or celebrate the life of those we care about.
At St Ann’s we’ve been supporting lots of families throughout this extremely difficult period, and created a range of resources to support people through grief in exceptional times.
We’ve also been providing services online, and ensuring patients who might not be able to come into the hospice to access therapies or outpatient appointments have someone they can talk to when they need it most.
For many years, we’ve also run our St Ann’s Hospice Forget-me-not appeal, and I’m really pleased, we’re still able to hold it this year while adhering to government Covid restrictions.
The appeal sees hundreds of people from across Stockport and the rest of Greater Manchester reflecting and celebrating the life of their loved ones, by making a dedication in our online Memory Meadow, which can then be shared with family and friends online.
Dedications are made alongside a donation to the hospice, with money raised helping us to continue providing care to local people. It’s a beautiful way to come together as a community, and this year we’re seeing people not only make a dedication in memory of someone special, but also mark moments missed in the last year too.
Some people have a connection to the hospice, but others choose to join the appeal to celebrate a loved one, whilst helping a local cause.
It’s really moving to see everyone’s dedications in the form of forget-menots or Manchester bees all set out in the Memory Meadow, and to know that each one represents someone or something so important.
Thank you to everyone who has taken part, and if you’d like to make a dedication to someone special, please call 0161 498 3631 or visit www.sah.org. uk/forget-me-not.