Keira's Christmas wishes bring cheer to hospice patients

A determined teenager has decided to bring some joy and cheer at Christmas to day patients at Dr Kershaw's Hospice who have been unable to attend the hospice since lockdown began in March. 

Keira Arnold, 13, has been fundraising for Dr Kershaw's Hospice for over four years. 

Keira's dad Stephen was cared for by the hospice's doctors and nurses before he sadly passed away when Keira was just four years old.

At the age of eight, Keira set up her fund ‘Keira’s Wishes’ and has so far raised an amazing £32,000 for Dr Kershaw’s, providing patients at the hospice with their last wishes with anything from bedside weddings and birthday parties to a last trip to the seaside or simply funding a patient’s favourite chippy tea.

Now at Christmas, with Dr Kershaw’s day patients all unable to physically come into the hospice for their normal Christmas lunch and celebrations, Keira was inspired by the hospice's 'Furnish with Love – Give the Gift of Comfort' appeal to raise vital funds to furnish its in-patient family lounge in the new In-Patient Unit which is opening in the New Year.

She asked if she could give her own gift of comfort this Christmas in the form of special gifts.

Each of the 29 day patients at Dr Kershaw's, along with patients who are currently being cared for by their Hospice at Home team, received a special Christmas Comfort package kindly funded by Keira, who also shopped for the goodies and helped to make up the Christmas care packages.

Last week, the hospice's very own Santa - jolly volunteer Alan Kilgannon - along with his two little ‘elves’ in the form of Dr Kershaw’s Health Care Assistants, Debbie Smith and Janine Cockcroft, visited each day patient, sprinkling some Christmas cheer by dropping the ‘Gift of Comfort’ at each of their doorsteps.

(left to right) Day patient Shirley, Volunteer Alan and HCAs Debbie and Janine

Presented with the prestigious Diana award last year for her incredible fundraising and care for the Oldham community, Keira said: “I thought it would be a lovely surprise for the patients to have a personal visit from Santa with their very own goody bags. To let them know they are being thought about and to bring them some joy at Christmas.”

The hospice's day patients were previously used to daily interaction at the hospice prior to Covid and in normal times would now have been taking part in many Christmas festivities.

One of the hospice’s Health Care Assistants and also Santa’s little helper, Janine, said: “This week would have normally been our Christmas party week with lots of celebrations at the Hospice. It’s been wonderful to see the patients, spread some Christmas cheer and see the smiles on their faces.”

The Christmas comfort packs - which included Christmas goodies, from mince pies and hot chocolate to crossword books and handwritten cards from pupils at St Anne’s R.C. Primary School in Royton - were gratefully received by the day patients who are currently isolated from the hospice.

Despite receiving regular update phone calls, Hospice day patient Shirley Lowdnes hadn’t seen Health Care Assistants, Debbie and Janine, since lockdown first started in March and was thrilled to receive a visit and Christmas treats from them, not to mention a special visit from Santa.

Shirley said: “It was lovely to see Debbie and Janine, I’ve really missed them, they’ve helped me so much. The Christmas gifts were a wonderful surprise, I can’t get out much now so it was lovely to get some treats. I’m saving most of it to open at Christmas, but I’ve been working through the wordsearch book already. I can’t wait to tell my Great Grand-children that I had a visit from Santa!”

Dr Kershaw’s Hospice has thanked Keira for all her support with the initiative along with Iceland, Shaw and Linzi McCoy from North Stars Theatre Co for providing mince pies and Body Shop care packs respectively.

To find out about how you can take part in fundraising or to make a donation to support the hospice’s Christmas Appeal, call the hospice’s Fundraising Team on 0161 624 9984 or visit www.drkh.org.uk/support-us/furnishwithlove

Main image:

The hospice's Santa (a.k.a. Alan Kilgannon) and Keira Arnold.