Patient story: MS

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Hospice Ethiopia cares for patients like M S who is a 55-year-old lady who lives in a very low cost ‘Kebele’ (government subsidised) house with her sister. She sought medical help at a private health centre when she developed symptoms of a constant headache and visual disturbances. The doctors diagnosed a brain tumour with an abnormal build-up of fluid in her abdomen. Subsequently she suffered from a stroke leaving her paralysed.

MS was referred to Hospice Ethiopia to manage her symptoms. Initially she was unconscious due to a stroke, had a tube via her nose to allow the intake of food and medication and had a sacral bed sore. The team treated her pain and wound with basic medications. They also provided her with other medical supplies such as a urinary catheter, pads, gauze and wet wipes. Until the trained Hospice Ethiopia nurses started their support, MS was cared for at home by her sister so the team provided her sister with basic information on how to take care of her. She appreciates their support and says “I was lonely in supporting my sister before you came to see her. I was buying medications and was paying for wound care from the little money I had. Now you are doing it freely with dedication and happiness. I am grateful for your service and always thank you.”

MS and her sister have encountered serious financial hardship due to MS’ illness, as they have no daily income, so they receive the Comfort Fund from Hospice Ethiopia.

Talk on compassionate art

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Dear Supporters,

We are thrilled to be able to extend an invitation to you to sit back, relax and be inspired by artists demonstrating compassion in a variety of media. Rev Dr Nick Garrard is Bishop’s Officer for Christian Spirituality through the Creative Arts in Norwich Diocese. He has kindly offered to give this talk on behalf of Hospice Ethiopia UK to raise funds in what has been a very difficult time for fundraising.
Nick will introduce the concept of compassionate art through some famous and lesser-known examples, in which artists have provided inspiration, protest, reflection or transformation, expressed grief or offered hope.
To register, please phone 01508 538014 or send an e-mail via this page. A Zoom link to the online talk will be sent to your email inbox. Admission is free but donations warmly welcomed via our website http://www.hospiceethiopia.org.uk

We look forward to seeing you on Monday 18th January at 7pm.

Patient Profile: subira

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Our fundraising is used to care for people like Subira (not her real name) in Addis Ababa. Subira  is a 49 year old Muslim lady with a carcinoma affecting her left eye, which was diagnosed 2 years ago. She has been HIV positive for 19 years. Prior to the diagnosis she noted a discolouration around her upper nose. The Health Centre referred her to the Black Lion Hospital (BLH), where she underwent surgery and subsequently received 6 cycles of chemotherapy and 6 radiotherapy treatments. She now has no sight in her left eye.

She is a widow and lives with her 2 daughters and son. Her eldest daughter used to work in Saudi Arabia, until she developed renal problems and was sent back to Ethiopia. Her younger daughter is still at school but is HIV positive. Her son earns very little doing menial jobs. She receives support from the Comfort Fund.

Her first visit from an HE nurse was on 15/4/19. She complained of swallowing problems and had an oozing wound on the left side of her neck. The nurses also wondered if she had developed a fistula (an abnormal opening) as the oozing was worse when she drank fluid. Her eye had a crusty discharge which had become more painful 3 weeks earlier, when her father had died as she had been very weepy.

Quartely reports from hospice Ethiopia

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The trustees of Hospice Ethiopia UK receive quarterly reports from the staff of Hospice Ethiopia. They report on a range of activities undertaken by the Hospice which helps us monitor the way the funds we send them are spent as well as helping us to understand the challenges they face.

The recent report records that they are supporting 85 patients through their home-base care programme. This is slightly fewer than in the previous quarter as fewer referrals have been received. The Director thinks this is probably due to fewer patients presenting at hospital as they are worried about leaving their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Day Care service run at the Hospice has had to be temporarily suspended due to the restrictions imposed by the government due to the pandemic. However, 25 patients are supported by the Comfort Fund; this is a monthly grant given to the poorest patients to enable them to buy food and other essential supplies. Our Coin jars support this fund; if you would like to have one, please contact Sue (01263 768699) or set up your own jar for collecting lose change for this vital fund.

The staff of Hospice Ethiopia in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health have provided training for a range of health care workers, on palliative care for people dying from corona virus. This included support for front line workers in supporting both patients and their families with their distress, medical needs and end of life care.

Earlier this year Hospice Ethiopia expanded its services by establishing a partnership with the Tibebe Ghion Hospital in Bahir Dar. This has proved to be a cost-effective model and plans are underway to replicate this at Hawassa and other major cities in Ethiopia.

HE Haircut challenge!

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We’re joining the national 2.6 challenge to help charities who have cancelled events in light of the UK Coronavirus lockdown.

Hospice Ethiopia UK is coordinating a hair cutting (and potentially hair raising…) challenge with 26 brave volunteers allowing their lockdown comrades to cut their hair. We’ve been kind enough to not specify the required haircut, but [spoiler alert] Jamie Mumford, trustee, has agreed to shave his beard for the first time in 35 years!

Please donate generously, as the Coronavirus is likely to hit Ethiopia very hard. We’ll be coming back with photographic evidence and updates as the locks come off on Sunday 26th April!

This is the link to donate:

Donate to HE Haircut Challenge

Annual meeting and presentation

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The Hospice Ethiopia annual meeting will be held on Thursday 5th March 6pm at the Priscilla Bacon Centre for Specialist Palliative Care in Norwich.

Please come and hear the amazing support we have had over the last year and the developments and plans for the next 12 months.

Hospice Ethiopia UK’s annual meeting will be followed by refreshments and an illustrated talk by Sue and Marion about their recent visit to Ethiopia in February 2020.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Patient story: K

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K is a 65-year old married man with liver cancer. When the nurse first saw him, he was suffering from severe back pain, anxiety and a debilitating insect-biting type pain in his legs which meant he slept badly. The nurses prescribed pain killers, explained what was happening to him and he is now sleeping much better. He said “I would like you to come and see me again. I know you have many patients to care for and many responsibilities, but I would like to see you as often as possible. When I meet with you, I feel at ease and get relief from my pain & sickness.” Patient

Feedback such as this shows how the care Hospice Ethiopia provides makes such a difference to the lives of their patients. It’s easy to forget how even basic care such as the provision of pain killers, something we take for granted in the UK, is not available to the vast majority of terminal cases in Ethiopia.