Legal staff support hospice with funds for medical equipment

Law firm staff have funded five new syringe drivers to deliver vital medication to patients at Leckhampton Court, after a request by a lawyer whose husband was helped by the hospice staff in his last few weeks.

The £5,850 donation from HCR Hewitsons charity was made in memory of him – he was in the hospice for several weeks before his death from bowel cancer at the age of 32 this summer. Rhiannon Anderson, who works in the firm’s Cheltenham office, made the grant request because of the care the couple received.

She said: “They made the worst period of our lives more bearable – they enabled me to be his wife, not his carer.

“The care that the hospice gave us was amazing; it was very specific to his needs and very supportive of me too, and I wanted to do what I could to support them in turn. They look after people holistically and there is a complete lack of doom and gloom – it was my second home for the time that he was there and I am so grateful to them.

“He had two syringe drivers for the whole time he was there – they are life-changing for patients and for carers too.”

The syringe drivers deliver medication to people who need ongoing pain management or regular doses; they mean that patients can be treated with the minimum of pain and inconvenience.

Elise Hoadley, Hospice Director at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “Our heartfelt thanks go to Rhiannon and all at Harrison Clark Rickerbys for this kind donation, which will help bring comfort to our patients.
“Syringe drivers are small portable machines that deliver a steady flow of drugs to help keep symptoms under control, helping patients remain comfortable. This donation will make a real difference to patients and their families.

“Demand for our services is growing, so donations like this are extremely important in helping us to continue to be there when it matters for our patients and their families.”

Adam Finch of the HCR Hewitsons charity said: “I’m so glad that we have been able to make a real difference to the hospice’s patients and their families – that is exactly what the charity aims to do. Rhiannon’s own experience shows just how important a relatively simple piece of equipment can be.”

Harrison Clark Rickerbys has more than 500 staff and partners based at offices in the Cheltenham, the Wye Valley, Worcester, Hereford, Birmingham, Cambridge the Thames Valley and central London, who provide a complete spectrum of legal services to both business and private clients, regionally and nationwide. The firm also has a number of highly successful teams specialising in individual market sectors, including health and social care, education, technology, agricultural and rural affairs, finance and financial services, defence, security and the forces, and construction.