St John’s launches ambitious project to build specialist wellbeing centre

St John’s Hospice has been at the forefront of care since 1984, providing quality, holistic care to more than 4,500 people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families every year.

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Whilst located in St John’s Wood, the majority of their work takes place beyond the hospice walls, out in the community, spanning seven North London boroughs. They offer a huge range of specialist services including community care, Hospice@Home, bereavement and social work support, inpatient care, day services, therapies and carer respite.

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The hospice’s Day Care Unit is central to the services provided to the local community. There, people can come together for therapeutic sessions, such as art or exercise classes, benefit from physio and complementary therapies such as reflexology or reiki, meet with social workers or simply enjoy a hot meal and a chat in the hospice garden. For many of their patients, this is the only time they are able to leave their homes and also benefit from an outdoor space.

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Since the opening of the unit, patient needs have changed and expanded, not least as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; leaving staff with a constant struggle to make the space work for those they care for. As a result, the hospice has launched an ambitious project for 2022 to transform the Day Care Unit into the first of their one-of-a-kind wellbeing centres.

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The newly created St John’s Wellbeing Centre will enable the hospice to care for even more patients and cater for a broader range of conditions. This includes scaling up their provision of treatment for Lymphoedema, a chronic condition that causes painful swelling in the body’s tissues, and which affects 2 in 10 people with breast cancer and 3 in 5 people with testicular or ovarian cancer. Moreover, the addition of a multi-sensory room will enable them to better support and treat patients with Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Motor Neurone disease.

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Their garden will also be refurbished so that it is fully accessible to all patients, enabling St John’s to introduce garden therapy, outdoor movement sessions and create an area for patients and their families to enjoy together.

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The project, which is much more than bricks and mortar, has been made possible through the generous support of local donors and charitable trusts and foundations including; MariaMarina Foundation, Wolfson Foundation, Strand Parishes Trust, Rose Foundation and Kusuma Trust. It is with their support that St John’s will be able to welcome more people through their doors each day, and eventually, seven days a week, making them the only London hospice that can provide this level of care.

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If you are interested in supporting this exciting project, please donate via their website. Alternatively, get in touch with St John’s Fundraising Team by emailing fundraising@hje.org.uk or calling 020 7806 4011. For press and media enquiries please email alicia.conti@hje.org.uk.

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Notes to the Editor:

About St John’s Hospice

St John’s Hospice provides quality, holistic care to people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families. We are about celebrating and amplifying life, enabling people to live well for as long as possible. We create moments of joy and compassion both inside and outside of our hospice and work to ensure that each of our patients and their families are supported through every aspect of their journey.

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As well as our Inpatient and Day Care Unit located in St John’s Wood, we work out in the community, in people’s homes, providing care to more than 4,500 people every year across seven North London boroughs.

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Our services are free to all and include community care, Hospice@Home, bereavement and social work support, inpatient care, day services, therapies and carer respite.

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Facebook: @stjohnshospice
Twitter: @StJohnsHospice
Instagram: @stjohns_hospice
Registered charity number: 235822