The origins of hospice (or palliative) care can be traced back to Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. In this country, the concept was first seen in the 'hospitium': a branch of the monasteries in the Middle Ages where help was given to travellers, the poor and the infirm.

The modern hospice movement started in 1967 with the opening of St Christopher's hospice in south east London by Dame Cicely Saunders.  She is widely regarded as the founder of the movement and modern thinking in palliative care, instilling a philosophy of holistic care inspired by the unmet needs of the dying she had cared for in hospitals as a nurse, social worker and subsequently as a doctor.

Palliative care shifts emphasis from the curative aims of conventional medicine towards maximising the quality of remaining life.  It relies on an holistic approach to care which aims to support the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and psychological needs of those facing death and those of their families.

Hospices aim to preserve the dignity of patients and encourage them and their families to express their thoughts and to come to terms with the lives they have lived.

Just as St Christopher's hospice was entirely funded by charitable donations and money left in wills, modern hospices remain reliant on voluntary contributions.  As the importance of palliative care becomes increasingly recognised, there is a growing partnership between the government and voluntary sectors, but hospices remain dependant on the goodwill, fundraising and legacies of local communities.

Since its inception, the hospice movement has had a profound effect on the care afforded to dying people and their loved ones.

It is this philosophy of care that has touched our lives and inspired this venture.

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