FAMILIES bereaved by cancer and other life-limiting conditions will this week take part in a candlelit procession in north Belfast in memory of their loved ones.
Among those supporting the Northern Ireland Hospice's annual Lights to Remember appeal will be the family of west Belfast man Pat McGreevy, who died in December 2015 following a battle with lung cancer.
Ahead of the event tomorrow, Pat's son Alex told how he is indebted to the charity for the support and care shown to his father.
Mr McGreevy had only taken up a post in the marketing and communications department of the NI Hospice a few months before his father's diagnosis.
"I was only in the hospice a couple of weeks and remember saying there was so much the local community has to learn about the hospice and part of my job was to educate the community," he said.
"I remember saying, 'I hope I never have to avail of the hospice' - little did I know that a few months later and my dad would be using the hospice services."
When Pat McGreevy (69), who was from the Suffolk area, was diagnosed in May 2015, he was adamant he wanted to remain at home.
During his final months, NI Hospice community nurse specialist Grainne McGinnity helped care for him as well as providing "invaluable" assistance to his wife Anne, who had also become ill.
"Grainne came to become like part of the family, she was there for that journey with us," Alex said.
"They do the very best to make life memorable and Grainne helped us so much, always going that extra mile. She knew my mum was ill at the time and looked out for her too.
"I've got to know the hospice inside and out and what many people don't know is about the hospice at home service or the hospice hub and the inpatient service.
"I never thought I'd see it become part of my household, but having someone there, who is kind and patient, made such a difference - she was there for us all throughout that entire time."
The annual Lights to Remember appeal invites people to dedicate a Christmas light in memory of a loved one, while supporting the vital hospice care service.
This year’s service takes place at Dominican College, Fortwilliam at 6.30pm followed by a torch-light procession to the adult hospice on Somerton Road, where the Christmas tree will be lit up in memory of lost loved ones.
Ms McGreevy said: "I've missed the lights appeal every year since I joined the hospice. The first year my dad passed away, the following year my mum was ill and passed away on December 19 and the following year, was her first anniversary.
"So this year, I will be at the event, which has taken on a new meaning for me as I dedicate a light to my parents who both passed at Christmas time and knowing Dad had hospice care
"To be there and pay tribute to them both is special, but to know at the end of it all that somebody and someone's family are benefitting and receiving the best possible care gives it even more significance."
To support Lights to Remember, visit www.nihospice.org.
Read more:
- Dedicate a light in a memory of a loved one this Christmas and support Northern Ireland Hospice
