Treetops, based in Risley, provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life limiting conditions living in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Definitely not what I was expecting
Lisa, 38yrs, from Duffield, was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer in May last year and died in November. Lisa received complementary therapy at the hospice, as her husband, Craig, explained:
“I brought Lisa here a lot of the time when she was having complementary therapy and I remember my first impressions of the hospice were immediately how friendly everyone was, from the welcome you get at reception greeting people coming in.
“You’re never sat for long before someone offers you a cup of tea or something to eat. It’s a lovely place and has such a really nice atmosphere, with natural light coming through the windows and the view – it was just a really lovely place to be which was really surprising and definitely not what I was expecting.
A real boost for her
“I came here with a bit of trepidation, thinking it might be quite upsetting but it was actually the contrary. Even though Lisa was only 37 years old, I thought her age might be very different to a lot of the other people here, and it might not be a place she would be attracted to, but once she’d seen it and spoke to the people here, she was always keen to come back.
“I know she got a huge amount from the complementary therapies. She was much more relaxed and it was much more nurturing and positive compared to everything that happens in hospital. Coming here and feeling like someone’s got your back and trying to take care of you beyond your immediate family – that was a real boost for her as well.”
It’s a whole hour just for me
Lisa visited Treetops earlier in the year to donate proceeds from a collection raised during the Duffield Scarecrow Trail:
“I’ve had Reflexology, neck massage and head massages here and there isn’t just one benefit – there’s a whole multitude.
“There’s the physical side – it relieves the pain caused by the chemotherapy and the tension in your shoulders from wearing the Chemo cold-cap. Having the massage just gives you a release and you immediately feel like a weight’s been lifted off your shoulders.
“It’s also just really nice to come somewhere and just chat about anything and everything – it doesn’t need to be about cancer or illness. It’s a whole hour just for me and it’s been a form of counselling for me as well.
Time-out for our clients
Claire Hampson, Treetops complementary therapist added:
“It’s time-out for our clients – it’s time when the physical touch is gentle and kind, whereas medical touch is not the same. It gives a calming feeling – there’s laughs and we’ve shared a lot over the year of Lisa’s treatment.
“When someone is very poorly, it makes everything just feel nice and forget – it’s a calm and tranquil place to be and the different treatments just depended on Lisa and how she was feeling at the time.”
Huge thank you to everyone for their support
Craig, the couple’s three children, Lisa’s mum and the family nanny presented the cheque to Treetops. Craig added his thanks to everyone who’d made a donation:
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for their support. There were over 300 people at Lisa’s funeral and to raise all this is just really fantastic. It was a sad day but we wanted it to also be a positive day in many ways, to celebrate a life well lived, even if it was a short life.”
Treetops services include Support and Information, a Day Care Unit, Hospice at Home nurses and Therapeutic Services including counselling, art therapy and complementary therapy.