35 years of supporting people at the end of their life

The first patient was admitted in September 1985 and the Leicester facility now looks after hundreds of people with cancer and other terminal illnesses every year.

Several nurses have worked there for all or most of its existence, including day therapy manager Janet Manual, her deputy, Jo Potts, and ward manager, Tracy Hinde.

Jo said: “I came to work at LOROS after I saw a patient die on a hospital ward, alone.

“I knew things should be better than that.

“At LOROS our patients’ attitude is ‘I’m alive and I’m busy living my life’.

“We help them to do that for as long as possible.”

LOROS has 343 staff and is indebted to the support from 1,500 volunteers.

One of them was Asfordby teeenager, Leah Reek, who loved being a part of the hospice’s day therapy service before her tragic death in an explosion in 2018.

Leah’s mum, Jo, said: “She absolutely loved her time there.

“She was inspired by the place and came home saying how it was a privilege to be part of the end of life journey and making the patients and their families smile was so important.”

The charity’s CEO, John Knight, said: “It’s an honour to care for people at the end of their lives, so we asked our community what impact we’ve made over the past 35 years.

“The response was touching and overwhelming.

“People got in touch to share their most precious memories.

“From bonding with their family around the bedside of a beloved auntie, to the willingness of doctors to help a patient attend his son’s wedding abroad, we heard some amazing stories about how much LOROS was needed and just what the care meant to them.”

Jan Zanker’s mother-in-law was the first patient admitted to the LOROS inpatient ward back in 1985.

She recalled: “My mum-in-law, Gertie Zanker, was an inpatient during the official opening of LOROS by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

“We always said that it really kept her going.  

“Prince Charles shook hands with her and they had a chat and she loved seeing Princess Diana too.”

For Viv Rhodes, her memory is of the thoughtfulness of the care her husband received.

“When I married my husband we knew then that our time together would be short,” she said.

“A few days later he was admitted into LOROS.

“On hearing we were newly married, all the staff were amazing, pushing two beds together so that we could sleep side by side.

“Sadly, he died a few weeks later but I will never forget the kindness of the staff and the support we were both given.”

Memories of LOROS to celebrate its 35 years will be shared on the Hospice’s social media and website throughout September.

Go to www.loros.co.uk if you would like to donate money to the hospice.