Welcome to the St Barnabas House Blog

George’s story

"When George eventually agreed to me calling St Barnabas, I felt utter relief as his symptoms were so complex that we couldn’t cope at home."

Fiona’s story

"Despite all this, Mum’s happiness and humour was quickly picked up on by the nurses and it was beautiful to see the connection they had with her. "

Tony’s Story

"The pain of losing your partner, your soulmate, is almost impossible to describe. I miss his laughter and his crazy socks every day. But I can honestly say that saying goodbye to Tony was easier thanks to the support of St Barnabas. "

Why I signed up as an Emotional Support Volunteer

Corinne explains why her role as an Emotional Support Volunteer means so much to her, what her role entails ant the type of training and support she gets from the hospice.

Sue’s story

"I look forward to visiting the hospice and I’m doing something that means such a lot to me. Rather than sitting at home and giving up, I now have a collection of beautiful artworks and the grief I felt on that first visit to the art room feels a little less raw."

What it’s like to be a hospice chaplain

"We hope to be sensitive and compassionate listeners who will walk beside someone as they journey, providing a space for people to be open about what they are experiencing."

Lara’s story

"St Barnabas brought us all a huge sense of relief from no longer having to worry about things like medicines, personal care or feeding. And it also gave my dad a lot of peace, knowing we were being looked after too."

Dom’s story

"From the start to finish of our relationship, we never had a dull moment. We laughed every single day and even when things progressed with Dom’s illness, humour was our way of coping with life."

No right way to grieve

"Death is the (very large) elephant in the room that we often feel uncomfortable talking about despite the fact it affects all of us, and everyone around us."

What to expect when visiting a hospice

We want you to know what to expect when visiting St Barnabas House, and hopefully settle your nerves.

Working with our artist in residence

"Art is all about enjoying something and having a sense of ‘yes I can’, not ‘I can’t’. It can be very empowering. The art room is all about giving you time and skills when you might feel like everything else is taken away from you."

Meet Betty – the service dog putting a smile on everyone’s face

Each visit to a hospice patient is tailored to their needs. Some of our patients and family members might want to have Betty visit them in their room to cuddle and fuss over her.