Families Celebrate Loved Ones at Butterfly Hospice Lights of Life Ceremony

Loved ones past and present were celebrated at a special 'Lights of Life' ceremony at Boston's Butterfly Hospice this week.

Families, friends and patients were invited back to the hospice in Rowan Way to share their messages of love and hope.

The afternoon was started with a Christmas medley performed by children from Boston West Academy.

Visitors, staff and volunteers later sang two verses of Silent Night by candle light before hanging personal dedications on hand-made angel decorations onto the hospice's Christmas tree.

Mick Peak, of Wrangle, joined the ceremony to remember his daughter Maria Jayne, who had been a patient at the hospice.
"I can not put into words how grateful I am for the care she received," he said. "I do not think we could have asked for anything better."

Anita and David Johnson placed a dedication on the tree to David's sister Brenda Hill, who had been both a respite and palliative care patient at the hospice.

David, of Boston, said: "It's been lovely to come back here but a very bitter sweet experience. We will never forget Brenda but we will also fondly remember how kind the staff were, the place, how they looked after visitors as well as the patients. They made us feel so welcome."

The event was organised by two of the hospice team, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust's (LCHS) Palliative Care Sister Jan Wright and Healthcare Support Worker Vicky Woodham.

Jan said: "Over the last five months, the team at the Butterfly Hospice has had the pleasure of meeting many different people. This event was an opportunity for us to remember loved ones and reaffirm our commitment to providing first class palliative care. It was wonderful to see so many of the family and friends again who have helped to make the Butterfly Hospice such a special place."

Natalie McKee, Matron for LCHS, added: "I am very proud of the entire team and the number of guests welcomed back into the hospice for this special occasion is testament to the dedication and care we have been able to provide to patients past and present."

Chief Executive of the Butterfly Hospice Trust, Judi Byrne, echoed the sentiments of the nursing team. She said: "The Lights of Life service was very poignant for many of our guests. Although the majority of our patients return home, we feel privileged to care for those at the end of life and their families."