St Giles Hospice has launched a new fundraising appeal to help the charity’s work caring for local people living with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The Sponsor A St Giles Nurse campaign aims to help fund the valuable services offered by the hospice’s team of Clinical Nurse Specialists.

The seventeen nurses visits patients living with cancer or other serious illnesses in their own homes, providing assistance to control symptoms and offering psychological support for both patients and their carers.

The dedicated team - all registered nurses with additional specialist training - can also help with advice on basic financial benefits, loans of equipment, and information about other community services.

But it costs £162 each time a St Giles Nurse visits a patient and, with only a small part of St Giles’ funding coming from government, the charity needs to raise over £100 of this sum.

Last year alone the team carried out more than 7,000 home visits – costing St Giles a massive £700,000.

And, like the many others offered by the charity, the team’s caring services are in constant and growing demand.

Peter Holliday, St Giles Hospice Chief Executive, explains: “Our Clinical Nurse Specialists perform a vital role, providing support and assistance for patients at what is a very difficult time.

“Offering patients the opportunity to stay at home surrounded by the things and people they love, rather than going into full time care, can make a huge difference to their quality of life and emotional well-being.

“Our Sponsor a St Giles Nurse appeal invites individuals, businesses, schools and community groups to help ease the expense by raising money to cover the cost of just one home visit.”

However supporters raise the £100 - perhaps by organising a collection at work, staging a sponsored event or even collecting small change - they can be sure that their generous support will help make a real difference to the lives of local people with life-limiting illnesses.

More information - and a leaflet about how to help - is available by calling 01543 432538 or by visiting the website at www.stgileshospice.com.

St Giles Hospice is one of the best-known and most respected charities in the region, offering high-quality nursing and medical care for people with cancer and other serious illness, as well as providing support for their families and carers.

Patients come from across the hospice’s catchment area, which ranges from Ashby de la Zouch and Atherstone in the east, to Cannock and Walsall in the west – and from Burton and Uttoxeter in the north, to Sutton Coldfield and Coleshill in the south.

Care is offered either at the hospice in Whittington, near Lichfield, or in patients’ own homes across the region.

St Giles spends almost £5million every year providing its specialist services. With just a third of this funded by the Government, the registered charity relies heavily on donations and fundraising.