{"id":243865,"date":"2023-12-16T04:28:56","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T04:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=243865"},"modified":"2023-12-16T04:28:56","modified_gmt":"2023-12-16T04:28:56","slug":"ill-spend-christmas-working-at-a-hospice-my-job-is-to-help-make-precious-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/ill-spend-christmas-working-at-a-hospice-my-job-is-to-help-make-precious-memories\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019ll spend Christmas working at a hospice – my job is to help make precious memories\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019 Christmas might sound normal on the surface, but take a closer look and it\u2019s a lot more magical than that. <\/p>\n

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\u2019t change it for the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people think that the hospice is quite doom and gloom, but it's not. It\u2019s 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,\u201d she told OK!<\/b>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe whole atmosphere is just really festive. This year we\u2019ve potentially got a choir coming to sing Christmas songs too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having started off at Marie Curie as a 17 year old volunteer, Leaah\u2019s Christmases have looked different for all of her adult life. As a mum-of-three, she\u2019s keen to spread the festive cheer both at home and at work, even if that means losing out on sleep in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m working Christmas Eve, I\u2019ll stay awake for the whole of Christmas Day so that I can celebrate with my family,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I\u2019m working on Christmas Day, we\u2019ll celebrate on an alternative day between Christmas and New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

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While some people may dread the idea of working over Christmas, not Leaah. With joy in the air, it\u2019s something that excites her year-on-year. In fact, one festive period, it wasn\u2019t just jingle bells that were ringing – wedding bells chimed too.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne year a patient and their partner got married. Not on Christmas Day, but over the Christmas period and that was really heartwarming,\u201d she explained. \u201cI also really love it when families come in and we put on a big feast with all of the trimmings for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

All year round, Leaah\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cSadly 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,\u201d Leaah said. \u201cIt's really humbling and it makes me feel blessed to know that I\u2019ve been able to help these people make precious memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just try not to think about it. My goal is to make a patient\u2019s 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\u2019s by writing them something special in their card or wrapping presents with them,\u201d she added. \u201cAs long as I\u2019ve achieved that I\u2019m happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While her Christmas may be a little out of the ordinary, Leaah wouldn\u2019t change it for the world. \u201cI really like working Christmas Eve because I can make sure that the patients begin their day feeling really festive and happy,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s always such a happy time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n

To find out more about Marie Curie\u2019s Christmas Appeal, visit<\/b> mariecurie.org.uk\/christmas<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n