A dedicated doctor at a beloved Northamptonshire hospice has highlighted the importance of palliative care as part of a national campaign.

Dr Kerri McEvoy, who cares for patients at Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity, is backing the Hospice UK initiative to encourage people across the county to consider leaving a gift in their will to support and secure the future of their local hospices.

The thought-provoking campaign, This Is Hospice Care, first launched this time last year with a powerful TV advert based on real life hospice stories, and saw Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity unite with hospices nationwide to raise awareness about the vital role hospices play in communities and shift public perceptions of hospice care.

Dr Kerri said: “I think the hospice is a really important part of the local community. Lots of people will have come in contact with our services in one way or another or know somebody who has. We know that the demand for hospice services is only going to increase over time and therefore the support that anyone can give is really important and really appreciated by us all.

“The real impact that people can have is just ensuring the hospice continues to be here. We’re here for the whole community so there may come a time when you know someone or you yourself do need the services. Therefore, leaving legacies or gifts helps ensure the longevity of the hospice so we can be here for the community in years to come.”

Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity hope to inspire more people to consider leaving a legacy, ensuring that these essential services can continue to provide their compassionate and specialist care for future generations and sustain the surge in demand – the number of annual deaths in the UK are expected to rise by 130,000 by 2040.

The incredible palliative service that the charity provides doesn’t stop at inpatient hospice care. Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity also provides a wellbeing service, a befriending service, patient and family liaison, a lymphoedema service and Hospice at Home.

Dr Kerri added: “I think it’s really important that people know we’re here for them whenever they need us, whether that is in the inpatient unit or having a nurse come to your house, there is a service that can support you.

“We really try to get to know our patients as people so we can really understand what is important to them and what their priorities are at this time of their lives. That helps us to provide really personalised care for them which I think the patients and their families really appreciate.

“It’s about supporting that holistic, compassionate, dignified care and knowing that by giving that donation it allows us to continue this amazing work.”

Maya Joseph Hussain, CEO at Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity, said: “With the demand for palliative care services ever growing and the cost-of-living crisis putting restrictions on our fundraising potential, we rely heavily on the unwavering support of our local community – for which we are immensely grateful.

“We continue to back this moving national Hospice UK campaign to raise awareness of hospice care so that we can keep palliative services in the forefront of people’s minds and protect their future, both here in Northamptonshire and across the country.

“Legacies and gifts are a really vital part of how we can do this and I urge anyone currently making their Will and testament to consider a charity donation which could make a really lasting difference.”

To find out more about the This is Hospice Care campaign and how you can help hospice care live on for all, for now, forever, visit www.thisishospicecare.org

To find out more about leaving a gift in your will for Cynthia Spencer Hospice visit https://cynthiaspencer.org.uk/how-you-can-help-us/fundraise-and-donate/leaving-a-gift-in-your-will/