Meet Lily and Lucy
This Hospice Care Week, we’re celebrating the people who make St Oswald’s Hospice what it is.
Here, we speak to Lily and Lucy, who recently joined the team as Lymphoedema Practitioners.
What attracted you to St Oswald’s Hospice?
Lily: I trained to be an occupational therapist because, when my grandma was cared for at the hospice, I saw how the OT helped her. OT is quite a diverse area and I was attracted to St Oswald’s Hospice so I could specialise in Lymphoedema. I also wanted to work at the place that supported my grandma.
What does your role involve?
Lucy: As practitioners, we continue to develop our skills within Lymphoedema care, being supported by the specialists. We see people with mild and normally uncomplicated swelling and lymphoedema to the lower and upper limbs. We help them manage their symptoms. We can also help them with simple lymphatic drainage or low light therapy to support them to be as independent as possible while living with lymphoedema.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Lucy: Seeing the huge impact we make on patients, physically but also with their mental health. We have a lot of patients who come in with body image insecurities. We support them with garments and compressions. This not only helps their swelling and pain management, but they also start to feel better about themselves.
How would you describe Hospice Care?
Lily: Hospice care to me is about improving quality of life and making the person the centre of everything. St Oswald’s Hospice is an amazing place. Every week should be Hospice Care Week!
Thank you to everyone who has supported Hospice Care Week this year!
Click to find out more about our jobs or volunteering opportunities