A SERVICE which helps people nearing the end of their lives in hospital has celebrated its fourth birthday.
The Marie Curie Companions service, based at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, offers support to dying patients, as well as their family and friends who visit them.
The team consists of 25 volunteers and more than 800 patients have been supported since its launch in 2014.
Julia Bearne, Marie Curie Companions service manager, said: “We are incredibly proud to be celebrating our fourth year.
“Our dedicated team of volunteers make a huge difference during a very difficult time for people.
“They are there to listen, give information or simply be with a patient and help loved ones to take a break. Thanks to them we’re able to support people from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week.”
Dr Charlie Davis, consultant – palliative medicine, at Musgrove Park Hospital and Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: We hear so much from families about how helpful this has been. The volunteers who are the companions deserve all the praise and thanks they get.”
For more visit mariecurie.org.uk/companions.
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