Our daughter Sinead passed away in December 2014 after a short, devastating 12-week illness with cancer.

When we left the children’s hospital and heard the words “palliative care,” it was terrifying – we thought that was only for very old, very sick people, not for little girls who had been riding their unicycle just weeks before.

From the first knock at our door from Ballarat Hospice Care, everything changed. A smiling nurse arrived, bringing calm and a sense of order to our world that had completely fallen apart. From that moment, through the next eight weeks, Hospice became part of our lives. They empowered us, taught us how to care for Sinead, reassured us that help was only a phone call away, and made sure we were never alone, even in the last hours and beyond.

Instead of returning to the hospital at the end, we were able to keep Sinead at home, surrounded by love. Ballarat Hospice Care gave us the knowledge, confidence, and support to look after her ourselves – to be in control at a time when everything else felt out of control.

They also became part of our wider lives. My husband, Jeff, our son Hamish, and I each found our way to give back, from helping with the new centre plans to volunteering. Even now, 10 years later, Ballarat Hospice Care remains a beautiful community for us, full of love, memories, and connection.

If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be empowering. Ballarat Hospice Care empowered us to care for Sinead, to create beautiful final memories, and to find strength in the middle of heartbreak.