My journey into palliative care began in 1992 when I joined the care team at Monastery House (now part of East Anglian Children’s Hospices and relocated to The Nook in Framingham Earl) – a Children’s Hospice tucked away in the beautiful village of Quidenham in Norfolk supporting children with life limiting illnesses and their families.
A move to Scotland then took me to join the care team at Rachel House – Scotland’s first Children’s Hospice as it opened it’s doors to families for the first time and where I stayed (not literally of course. I did have a home to go to haha) until I gave birth to my first child.
Life then took me to Oxfordshire, briefly back to Norfolk, back up to Scotland then to Oakworth near Keighley in West Yorkshire before arrival here in Marsden near Huddersfield where I have lived since 2009.
My life between leaving Rachel House and moving to Marsden saw me drift away from palliative care as my focus turned to raising my daughters but it was never far from my mind.
In 2014, after some very challenging years, I trained in Laughter Yoga using it as a tool for my own well-being as well as delivering workshops to support others on their own path of wellness. It wasn’t long before I found myself regularly sharing laughter at my local adult hospice in Huddersfield. Exploring and learning about the gifts that laughter brings to those experiencing end of life care. This was the moment I found myself circling back into the warm embrace of palliative care.
I have since shared laughter at 4 hospices in West Yorkshire and today, I will be back supporting Rachel House and CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) sharing laughter online with families currently shielding from covid-19.
Training as a Meditation Teacher and as a Compassionate Touch and Cuddle Therapist has all been part of a subconscious journey as I come almost full circle completing my training as an End of Life Doula to companion others through their end of life experience.
My continuing work as a Laughter Yoga Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Cuddle Therapist integrate beautifully with end of life care and bring a wonderful balance to my life.
HELD 