Hospice Care Week: Emma’s Story

This year’s Hospice Care Week (5 – 11 October 2026) theme – Don’t leave hospice care to chance – is a reminder that while everyone deserves access to compassionate care and support right to the end, hospices are underfunded and under more pressure than ever.

Throughout the week, we’re sharing stories from across St Mary’s and introducing you to some of the people who make a difference – the people who don’t leave hospice care to chance.

Emma is a Clinical Administrator in St Mary’s Compassionate Communities Team, our group of local services that helps ensure people in our communities have access to the support they need to live well. 

When people think about hospice care, they often assume it’s all about the final days of someone’s life. While an important part of the support we provide, hospice care is about so much more. At St Mary’s, we can support people from the point of diagnosis, helping them and those around them at all stages. 

Emma applied for the role unsure whether she had the relevant experience, but the St Mary’s team quickly put her at ease with their warmth.

“I now work as part of an amazing team with shared beliefs, morals and compassion,” Emma said. “Every single day, I come to work hoping to make a difference to someone’s life by sharing knowledge, offering support and connecting people with options, whether that’s with St Mary’s or another local organisation.

“Often, I’m that ear for someone to talk to when things are hard, or that someone to make a cup of tea. It’s the little things which make a big difference .”

Emma has seen St Mary’s community services grow and develop, enabling the team to reach more people across the local area.

“As well as supporting people in Ulverston and Barrow, we are constantly expanding to offer services across the rest of Furness and South Lakes,” she said. “Our Dementia Service has grown considerably, and it has been so positive to see how far it has come.”

For Emma, seeing someone at the very beginning of their journey with St Mary’s, helping them access support and then watching them return each week, make new friends and find themselves in a better place, is what makes her role so rewarding.

One standout moment for Emma was St Mary’s Dementia Unmuted Festival. The special event is co-produced with people living with dementia and their carers and is designed to challenge stigma, celebrate strengths and create joyful, meaningful experiences. 

She said: “Seeing everyone talking, laughing, dancing and having fun, enjoying the moment with friends and family, was very special.”