Westbury woman backs campaign to protect hospice caring for her sister

A westbury woman, whose sister receives end-of-life care at Dorothy House, is calling on people to back the life-changing charity which is in need of urgent support.

Gracie White is manager at the town’s Dorothy House’s charity shop. She works with volunteers, sorts through donations and creates window displays as part of the role, which she’s had for a year.

But she also has a personal connection to Dorothy House.

Gracie, 23, says, “My sister Emily receives support from Dorothy House. She has a life-limiting illness and is receiving end-of-life care. When I saw this job, I just thought, ‘I have to do it.’ As a family, we’ve always supported the charity, doing things like bingo and raffles to raise money. We’d usually hold fundraisers for each of my sister’s birthdays, marking the milestones of each age she’s reached.”

Emily, 26, is wheelchair-bound and supported by Dorothy House’s Day Patient Unit. There, she enjoys activities, benefits from various therapies, and uses a specialised gym. Gracie says Dorothy House is not only hugely special for her sister, but also provides vital respite for the entire family.

However, the charity is currently facing a critical financial shortfall, which, if not addressed, threatens the specialist end-of-life care it currently provides to patients and their families. Over the past three years, the cost of running the hospice has risen from £46,000 a day to £52,000 a day. There is an immediate and critical fundraising shortfall, which a recent government one-off ring-fenced capital injection has not fully resolved.

For Gracie’s family, it’s hard to imagine a world without Dorothy House. The charity shop manager is backing the ‘Together In Adversity’ campaign, which seeks to secure the future of this life-changing charity.

Gracie, who lives in Westbury, added, “It’s so important to support Dorothy House. Any of us could need hospice care in the future. There can be a lot of stigma around conversations about death and dying, but hospice care gives people a sense of control. It opens up these conversations and gives people a choice regarding their future.

“The Dorothy House charity shops represent so much. They’re about sustainability, supporting people on low incomes, and fostering community. If Dorothy House didn’t receive funding, not only would the hospice services cease, but the charity shops would have to shut as well.

“With Dorothy House being local, almost everyone in Westbury knows someone who has used its services. The customers we have in the shop are very loyal to the charity, whether or not they have a direct connection with it. We’ve had people come in and donate clothes from a loved one who was supported by Dorothy House. We’re really open to talking about the charity’s work here, and those conversations remind us of why we do this job. It’s really special.”

As part of the Together In Adversity campaign, Dorothy House is currently appealing to anyone who might one day need its services to stand with the charity in the face of adversity, helping to protect vital core services now and into the future.

Wayne de Leeuw, Chief Executive of Dorothy House Hospice Care, said, “We urgently need the support of our community and the government to ensure we continue offering the specialist care and support that our patients and their families deserve. No one should face death alone, and yet this financial gap places huge pressure on our workforce, forcing them to make difficult decisions about who can receive our care at a time when we want everyone to have equal access to our specialist support.”

“Last year, Dorothy House cared for more than 3,000 patients and 1,000 loved ones completely free of charge. We have done this in the face of enormous funding adversity because it is the right thing to do, but now, more than ever, we need help to ensure people can die with dignity.”

Supporters of Dorothy House can attend events, donate to and visit charity shops like the one in Westbury, run their own fundraisers, or visit https://www.dorothyhouse.org.uk/support-us/donate/

Pictured: Gracie White and volunteers outside the Dorothy House charity shop in Westbury