In a moment...

At a time when my mother and I were overwhelmed by the physical and mental suffering of my dear father, the Hospice Emanuel team arrived in our family, bringing with them a ray of light and comfort in the darkness of our hopelessness and helplessness. Through their active involvement, full of professionalism and dedication, they took part of our burden and tacitly consented to fight alongside us. The work and involvement of this team means respect for suffering and pain, respect for human dignity. They provided the necessary medical services for my father and constantly achieved pain control, so that his fight would be dignified until the end. For me and my mother, they represented emotional support and the certainty that we could care for our dear one as he should and as we promised him, until the last moment of his life. On December 25, the Lord opened the heavens and called my father's soul to Himself, probably thinking that he had struggled enough in the vanity of this world. The hospice team "stubbornly" stayed by our side during the mourning period, supporting us in coping with the loss suffered and the experience of mourning. They offered us the opportunity to participate in a support group for bereaved families. By participating in the group meetings, I was able to openly share my pain, hopelessness, frustrations, but also to learn from the experiences of other bereaved people. I was able to understand and accept my feelings during the mourning period and especially to understand that I have the right to suffer, not to adapt "overnight" to everything that happens to me, because all of this represents a long-term process.

I hope to defeat the disease ...

I hope to beat the disease, I hope to live a peaceful life and offer the best I have to the people I love… I hope for a better world and a more distant future… I am encouraged to hope so, since I met a few people who know how to give of their soulful love for those who are sick like me, know how to comfort and also know how to come to your aid when you feel overwhelmed by burdens. In September, a neighbor who was also diagnosed with cancer, guided me to confidently ask for support from the Hospice Emanuel team. With great professionalism and devotion to their fellow men, the hospice staff, a group of people who learned to believe by giving, helped me materially and with medication, brought hope to my soul and gave me a new impetus to move forward in life. These wonderful people learned the recipe for true happiness: “by making those who are more unhappy than you happy, you yourself become happy.”

I was alone...

I was alone, exhausted from the nights of vigils at my mother’s bedside, when I learned about Hospice Emanuel from a friend. With great shyness, I called to ask for help. I will never forget that moment. The voice that answered the phone was warm and reassuring. I was assured that I would receive all the support I needed, including medication. Indeed, the Hospice team was with us until the last moment of my mother’s life. It is difficult to put into words the gratitude I have for each and every nurse and doctor who came to help me every day. The medication eased my mother’s suffering, and the humane, compassionate and at the same time respectful way in which these wonderful people treated her restored her dignity. She passed away as she wished, at home, holding my daughter and me by the hand. This personal experience has helped me understand how important it is, not only for the sick, but also for the family, to have palliative care services. I am sure that others will also understand how important it is to support Hospice and to each put a brick in the construction of this edifice.

In the pediatric oncology department...

On the pediatric oncology ward, I also got in touch with the staff at Hospice Emanuel. Yasmina became very attached to the psychosocial nurses who visited her periodically for various therapeutic activities through play and drawing. She hugged them every time they came to visit her and did not want to let them go when they had to leave for other sick children. The Hospice staff was with us throughout Yasmina's illness, offering us psychological and emotional support. They encouraged me, explained the illness to me, and if I had problems to solve in the city, a Hospice nurse or volunteer would spend time with Yasmina until I returned. Since I had to give up my job to stay with my daughter in the hospital, my income was quite low; but the Hospice staff also took care of us from a material and financial point of view. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for being there for me and Yasmina during such a difficult time in our lives.