Hooves 4 Hospice

The Midland region of Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath is the only region in Ireland that does not have a Level 3 Hospice.

A Level 3 Hospice is a specially designed and equipped building where end of life care is provided, by specially trained doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff, to patients most in need of specialist palliative care at the end of their lives.

Level 3 Hospice services are tailored to meet the particular needs of individual patients to enable them to experience the best quality of life for as long as possible. They include:

• Symptoms and pain management; on a residential or day care basis as appropriate.
• Respite care and Day care.
• Home support for patients requiring ongoing medical and nursing care at home.

We already have excellent home care and support services that are provided by local hospice groups. The existing services need to continue and be expanded.

The HSE has decided that the most suitable location for a Regional Level 3 Hospice in the Midlands is Tullamore because of its central location within the area to be served. Not all Level 3 services will be provided from the Regional Hospice building. Services that can be provided locally will be provided at satellite units in Athlone, Mullingar, Longford and Portlaoise.

The funding model that has been used elsewhere involves the hospice building costs being met by local communities and the considerable on-going service costs being met by the HSE.

Tullamore Lions Club, in conjunction with other Lions Clubs in the Midlands, is managing a major fundraising project, aimed at raising €1,000,000 towards the capital cost of the proposed hospice building. Full information on the project can be viewed by visiting www.h4h.midlandhospice.ie.

The project involves  recruiting a large number of farmers willing to rear a young animal. The animals are sold at 12 to 18 months and the entire proceeds are donated to the Hooves 4 Hospice project. The generosity of farmers who are participating in the scheme is amazing. At the end of October 2021, 540 animals had been registered in the scheme, 180  of which had been sold at an average price of over €1,000 each. We are confident that our target of €1,000,000 will be reached.