Sisters to open free hospice

St Gemma's Hospice for the terminally ill in Leeds will open its doors to its first nine patients on March 12 — the centenary of the birth of St Gemma — with a special service conducted by Bishop Gordon Wheeler of Leeds.
The hospice is to be run by the Sisters of the Cross and Passion in a converted preparatory school. The decision to close the fee-paying school was taken several years ago in the light of the recommendations of Vatican Two when the Order decided that the care of the terminally sick was a more urgent priority.
"We decided to phase out private schools because the needs were well catered for in the community," Sister Mary Sloan, matron at the hospice, explained this week. "The area of terminal illness, on the other hand, is one that has not been covered adequately before by the health services and there is a tremendous need for it in this community." The Sisters will also offer a nursing service to those sick and elderly patients who are being cared for in their own homes but whose relatives need practical care and support. All treatment at the hospice will be free and open to all regardless of creed, race or social position. The aim is to provide a dignified and loving environment for the terminally ill including those with cancer, and children where necessary.
The whole project needs LI million to complete the building. But the Sisters are confident that it can be raised.
A Society of Friends of St Gemma's has been formed to help with fund raising and running the hospice. "They are tremendously enthusiastic and we have great faith that they can find the money," Sister Sloan said.
Fr Joe Lyons, parish priest of St Theresa and St Winefride and chairman of the Friends, added: "We are only a small group at the moment but we believe we can attract people from all over the country. Our slogan is `St Gemma's needs a million friends' and I am sure we will rind them."
Members of the society would pay £1 a year and would receive progress reports on work at the hospice, Fr Lyons said. So far £22,000 had been raised, and more than 200 people had come forward pledging all kinds of voluntary help from cleaning to nursing care.