A Heartfelt Letter To Laurel Hospice

"To the wonderful nurses, doctors and volunteers at Laurel Hospice, I want to thank you all for everything that you have done for me."

Over the past two years, Southern Adelaide Palliative Services cared for the lovely Jenna Crierie. Sadly, Jenna died in October last year, aged just 33 years old after an 11-year battle with ovarian cancer.

In a letter written to Laurel Hospice staff before her death, Jenna eloquently captured how palliative care impacts patients and their families, and how it can make a difference at end of life. The love, care, and compassion that this area of healthcare provides to its patients and families is beyond amazing and has a lasting impact.

Last year, we also received a $10,000 donation from a mother whose 30-year-old son passed away in Laurel Hospice. It moved us so much that a grieving mother felt the need to say thanks in this way, for the care her son and family had received in a short, two-and-a-half week stay at the Hospice.

These memories stay with someone forever. That is how important this area of healthcare is. Jenna’s moving letter is below. If this does not help you understand how important palliative care is, nothing will.

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To the wonderful nurses, doctors and volunteers at Laurel Hospice, I want to thank you all for everything that you have done for me. It’s hard to express just how much I appreciate your dedication in making sure that I received the best possible care. Your commitment, kind nature and thoughtfulness were so welcome during the hardest of times.

You have always gone above and beyond what was required to ensure that I received the absolute best care available to me. You held my quality of life in equal importance to my physical health and without this I would not have survived for as long as I did. You were all so open to trying absolutely anything that might help me feel better. I could not have asked for better advocates for my health and well-being.

Your care and compassion for patients is amazing. You are some of the most hard-working people I have ever met and an absolute credit to your profession. I feel privileged to have been a patient at Laurel Hospice. You all gave me so much without wanting anything in return. Thank you for being so kind to me, I am so incredibly grateful. I feel so incredibly lucky that our paths crossed.

Thank you, once again. It has been an honour knowing you all.

Your patient,

Jenna Crierie