A Tale of Love and Loss – Ray Amoore I often reflect on the countless lives that have been touched by the compassionate care provided by Waipuna Hospice. Today, I am honoured to be able to share a letter from Ray Amoore with you. Ray is one of those touched by our care, and now…
Coping with Loss During the Christmas Season Waipuna Hospice Counsellor Karen Schilperoort gives guidance on how to get through Christmas, an often difficult season for those who have lost a loved one. As the Christmas holidays approach, anticipating special occasions can be particularly difficult for families grieving a loss. Families can find meaningful ways to…
All The Stars In The Sky On a sunny day, nestled in the heart of Waipuna Hospice sits Baden Jury, a patient of ours who at the time of this interview was staying in our Inpatient Unit for respite care. 35 years ago, Baden was first diagnosed with cancer and given months to live. But,…
Die With Great Memories, Not Dreams. A story about Peter Oakes, as told by Pazia Moore. “Quite frankly, it sucks to know I am dying. But that isn’t the whole picture. I’ve also got a life to live in the meantime.” I’m Pazia, the Marketing and Communication Manager at Waipuna Hospice – a role I…
The Privilege of Caring “I see it as a real privilege to be in this last phase of life with people, being able to do my bit to make it as good as possible for them.” Fieke Noteboom has been working at Waipuna Hospice for nearly five years as a Social Worker, helping patients and families…
A Light During My Darkest Days A story by Lisa Fowler Waipuna Hospice cared for us physically and emotionally, preparing us for the difficult journey of grief, loss, and bereavement. With your help, they can continue providing this vital support to people in your community. In 2008, not long before my birthday in August, my…
Story: Losing the Leader in the Family Losing someone who is a leader in the family is a dreadful loss. This is someone who tries their hardest to make everything okay for everyone, and when they are gone, they leave behind a hole that is impossible to fill. Life will never be the same for…
Quinoa the Comfort Bunny: A Cuddly Companion in End-of-Life Care Animal therapy is used globally to help people of all walks of life. For Waipuna Hospice, a unique service brings immense joy to patients and their families, in the form of our fluffy guest resident bunny – Quinoa. Quinoa’s human mother, hospice Physiotherapist Ann, speaks…
Facing loss alone. Facing a terminal diagnosis comes with difficult and varying emotions for both the patient and their whānau. The process is hard, no matter the circumstances, and for those who live away from family, an instant sense of loneliness and helplessness is unavoidable. For Lucy and Richard, this became their raw reality. We…
Dying with Dignity The importance of patient dignity in end-of-life care cannot be denied. The concept of dignity may be likened to that of love – important, widely understood, difficult to define, and something that can’t be taught in a black-or-white manner. At Waipuna Hospice, we believe respecting patient dignity and giving patients choices is…