Wrapping up presents to put under the tree, picking which Christmas songs to play through the speakers and covering her surroundings in decorations, Leaah Deans’ Christmas might sound normal on the surface, but take a closer look and it’s a lot more magical than that.
As a healthcare assistant at the Cardiff and the Vale Marie Curie Hospice in Penarth, Leaah has spent the past two decades ensuring that patients have a Christmas to remember – and she wouldn’t change it for the world.
“Some people think that the hospice is quite doom and gloom, but it's not. It’s actually really happy. We decorate with lots of baubles and lights and Christmas trees and we get the patients to join in with making the trimmings if they can,” she told OK!.
“The whole atmosphere is just really festive. This year we’ve potentially got a choir coming to sing Christmas songs too.”
Having started off at Marie Curie as a 17 year old volunteer, Leaah’s Christmases have looked different for all of her adult life. As a mum-of-three, she’s keen to spread the festive cheer both at home and at work, even if that means losing out on sleep in the process.
“If I’m working Christmas Eve, I’ll stay awake for the whole of Christmas Day so that I can celebrate with my family,” she said. “If I’m working on Christmas Day, we’ll celebrate on an alternative day between Christmas and New Year.”
While some people may dread the idea of working over Christmas, not Leaah. With joy in the air, it’s something that excites her year-on-year. In fact, one festive period, it wasn’t just jingle bells that were ringing – wedding bells chimed too.
“One year a patient and their partner got married. Not on Christmas Day, but over the Christmas period and that was really heartwarming,” she explained. “I also really love it when families come in and we put on a big feast with all of the trimmings for everybody.”
All year round, Leaah’s job is to provide hospice care to people who are likely to die from terminal illnesses. As a result, she is sure to pull out all of the stops when it comes to ensuring that patients and their families experience a Christmas to remember.
“Sadly for some of our patients this will be their last Christmas, so it's about making memories for their families, and to make the day as special as it can be,” Leaah said. “It's really humbling and it makes me feel blessed to know that I’ve been able to help these people make precious memories.”
Despite the reality that for some patients, this Christmas may be their last, Leaah does her best to put on a brave face and instead of dwelling on the negatives looks at how she can make things as amazing as possible.
“I just try not to think about it. My goal is to make a patient’s stay as best as it can be. I always ask them what they want to achieve this Christmas and do my best to make that happy, whether that’s by writing them something special in their card or wrapping presents with them,” she added. “As long as I’ve achieved that I’m happy.”
While her Christmas may be a little out of the ordinary, Leaah wouldn’t change it for the world. “I really like working Christmas Eve because I can make sure that the patients begin their day feeling really festive and happy,” she says. “It’s always such a happy time of year.”
To find out more about Marie Curie’s Christmas Appeal, visit mariecurie.org.uk/christmas
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