“We are there for you!”
Find out about a day in the life of one of Marie Curie’s Support Line workers and learn how they could help you
Hello, Marie Curie Support Line, Brigette speaking, how can I help you?” For Brigette Flye, Support Line Team Leader at Marie Curie, every call to the Support Line begins this way. But after that, every single call is completely unique and special. “We may get 40-50 calls in a day but our last caller in a day will always get the same attention and care as the first caller that rings and I’m really proud of that,” says Brigette, 51.
Brigette has been working on the Marie Curie Support Line, based in Pontypool, since the service began in 2015. Having been trained in answering questions about all kinds of specialist subjects, including bereavement care, Brigette is happy to help with anything someone with a terminal illness, or their loved ones, may ring up about. “There isn’t a subject we’re afraid of talking about and our phone calls can be about anything. People often ring us because they want to access the Marie Curie nursing service or to ask about where they can get help when a loved one, who is in hospital, comes home. We also get calls about practical things such as how to get hold of a hospital bed or commode, how to access benefits or paying for a funeral.” Brigette says there are often calls from carers of someone with a terminal illness, from those who have lost their loved ones or from the terminally ill person themselves. “They wonder if the things they’re experiencing are different or ‘normal’. We find that sometimes it’s easier for people to be honest with a stranger at the end of the phone, as they can take off the ‘I’m coping’ mask they may be showing to their loved ones and speak without worrying about the emotional impact on their friends or family.
“We show every caller straight away that we’re here to listen and that we genuinely care. We’re all trained to be great listeners, not just to what’s said but to what’s not being said too. We’re not here to give advice but we
can provide information and signpost people to help. A big part of our job though is to just give people the freedom to talk, as saying things out loud can help people process their thoughts.
“People will often ring at a really emotive and hard time for them, often not knowing where to turn for help, but often, our callers finish the call in a better place than when they first rang, whether we’ve given them practical information or allowed them a safe space where they can feel supported and more able to cope. It’s so satisfying to know you’ve genuinely helped someone when you put the phone down. All of our team are here because they want to support people and help them realise they don’t need to face this really difficult time on their own.”