Jan's Story

Jan Hill shares a lifetime of stories that connect her to Sobell House Hospice, and what it means to her to receive our care as a patient.

Sobell House first opened its doors in 1976 and, in 1980, my role in the Oxford Flower Club meant I would come into the hospice to arrange fresh flowers for the ward.

I had been arranging the flowers for a few years before my Mum became very unwell in 1984 and died in Sobell House. A year later I was chatting to Sister Ann and she asked me to consider volunteering and supporting patients on the day unit (now known as Living Well). I was unsure, but soon enough there I was helping out on a Thursday… and I kept coming back for the next 25 years!

 

Helping out in the day unit was a distraction during this time and I was kept busy arranging flowers, playing cards with the patients, and doing the rounds with the much-loved drinks trolley. It was always a pleasure helping out and there was never a sad atmosphere – it was happy and joyful. A memory that sticks in my mind was getting my fellow volunteers to sing a Sound of Music medley for the day patients – we all laughed a lot that day.

I have always loved sewing and enjoyed putting my skills to good use by creating a tapestry with the patients in the day unit. I was happy to find that it’s still on display at Sobell House to this day. Each square of the tapestry represents a different patient and their life story; I still remember the conversations we shared to create each design, from holidays, to homes, to workplaces, to hobbies. It was wonderful to help put the tapestry together.

In 2010 I was very proud to receive my ‘long service’ pin badge to mark 25 years of voluntary service. Little did I know I’d be lucky to have Sobell’s support shortly after this, when my husband sadly died on the inpatient unit in 2012. We were able to visit daily and stayed overnight with him on his last night; everyone was so kind to him and to us as a family.

Pictured: Jan attending Living Well

Pictured: Jan’s voluntary service badge

Pictured: one of the tapestries that Jan helped make

The family tradition of supporting Sobell House continues as my daughter-in-law has been volunteering with the bereavement service for 28 years since 1996 and we all try to support the charity in any way we can. I have been making a donation to the annual Lights of Love remembrance service every year since my mum died.

I’m 91 now and have been diagnosed with bowel cancer. Coming to Living Well keeps me going – it’s lovely to chat to other patients and staff – and I’ve been busy sewing a bag for Bertie, the therapy dog who visits, to carry his bowls and treats in!

I hope that when I die I can be here, at Sobell House, as it’s where I want to be.

 

Thank you so much to Jan for kindly sharing her Sobell story.