Our experience with Ballarat Hospice Care was through our grandmother, who passed away in 2023 from cancer. From the moment hospice became involved, everything changed. We were able to fulfil her final wish – to die at home, surrounded by the people who loved her most. That wouldn’t have been possible without hospice.

Having the team support us meant we didn’t need to worry about her medical care. They took care of everything, allowing us to focus on making her comfortable and spending time with her. We could sit by her side, talk, laugh, look through old photo albums, and learn about her life in a way we might never have otherwise. We had dinner with her every night, and when she could still get up, we’d wheel her outside to sit by the fire.

The nurses were incredibly kind. They remembered our names, checked in on how we were, and made us feel like we mattered, too. They were there for our whole family. Even after our grandmother passed away, we continued to receive support, from grief resources to check-in emails. That care didn’t end when her life did.

After she died, we wanted to give back. We’d already been running a small Christmas fundraiser making jam, biscuits, and cordial – things our grandparents taught us – but we decided from then on that the money would go to Ballarat Hospice Care. It felt right. It gave us a way to honour her memory while helping others have the same opportunity for comfort and connection at the end of life.

To us, Ballarat Hospice Care means compassion for the person who is dying, and for every loved one around them. It gave us time we’ll never forget, and no regrets. That’s something we’ll always be grateful for.