North London Hospice seeks final £1.7m for redevelopment

North London Hospice plans to rebuild its Inpatient Unit to better serve patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

At the heart of the appeal is the desire to create a space that offers greater comfort, dignity, and privacy for those at the end of life.

Rebecca O’Connell, senior nurse and inpatient unit ward manager at North London Hospice, said: "The rooms are dark and too small, making it difficult for families to be together. There’s hardly any access to the outdoors but everyone benefits from access to sunshine and fresh air.

"There’s no air conditioning (a huge and uncomfortable problem in recent years!) There’s no separate entrance, so when patients arrive they have to be wheeled through the public reception.

"As a nurse, I do my absolute best to give my patients the best possible care. But the truth is, I know they deserve better. When someone’s coming to the end of their life, these things matter."

The current inpatient unit was built more than 30 years ago and is now considered "no longer fit for purpose".

The hospice is seeking to raise £10 million to fund a major redevelopment of the unit, but still needs £1.7 million to reach its target. The new facility will feature a separate entrance for patients, proper heating and air conditioning, and proper pull out beds so families can stay together for every precious moment.

Ms O’Connell continued: "It means they can still do what they love, in the community they know. And of course, we have the expertise to manage pain and symptoms, so people can spend their final days in peace and comfort – and make memories their families will treasure forever."

The hospice is appealing to the community to help raise the remaining funds.

Ms O’Connell added: "Just as all those years ago when the hospice was first built, we need our communities to come together again and help build the hospice that will be there for all in the generations ahead."

The hospice has cared for 22-year-old Jake, a sports enthusiast and Arsenal fan who was staying on the Inpatient Unit.

Jake's mother, Bal, worked with staff and volunteers to organise a special early Christmas celebration for him at the hospice.

Bal said: "Christmas meant a lot to Jake, so it felt important to do this and to be able to come together in his honour. I was so pleased that the hospice was able to make this happen and so grateful to everyone involved.

"It was a beautiful day and people he’d not seen for years were there, while family travelled from miles away to be a part of it. They even provided us with a room to have Christmas Day dinner with his nearest and dearest, just the way he’d have wanted it.

"It is because of their kindness that Jake’s last Christmas sparkled."

Jake died from a brain tumour, but his mother said the hospice brought the family comfort during a devastating time.

Bal added: "When Jake was admitted to North London Hospice I knew I was losing him, but I also knew he was finally somewhere safe, calm and cared for. The team immediately made him comfortable and managed his pain.

"After a week he genuinely believed he was in a hotel, which speaks volumes about the gentleness and peace the staff created around him."

Though most of the funds have already been raised through donations and fundraising efforts, the hospice is urging the public to help bridge the final gap. To support the campaign, visit northlondonhospice.org/build-it-for-north-london.