Centurion Hospice is a community-based organisation belonging to all those within the boundaries of Centurion, Laudium and Midrand (each hospice area has its own allocated service area). The hospice is driven and maintained by its membership base.
The hospice first opened its doors in 1966 with an 11-bed in-patient care unit and a home-based care unit. The in-patient care unit ran for several years until the running costs exceeded the income necessary to keep such a unit operating. The hospice now provide only home-based care.
Their current staff and board of governors see it as their calling to serve every person, black or white, young or old, suffering from a life-threatening disease.
The hospice encourages the community to register for the palliative care programme as soon as possible after diagnosis so that they can provide the patient, the patient’s family and close friends with the necessary holistic quality care.
The hospice has a dedicated staff of registered nurses and psycho-social workers who visit the patient and family on a regular basis to ensure that the correct care is provided in all the phases the patient goes through with their illness. This care ensures that the patient and their family maintain a quality life, has dignity in death and the family has bereavement care.
The hospice goes the extra mile to provide assistance in the spiritual and cultural aspects of care. They have spiritual leaders and counselors who offer their expert advice voluntarily to the patients and their loved ones.
These medical staff are very ably supported by the administrative staff who mainly works to ensure that sufficient funds are generated by through donations from the community.
Without these donations, in either cash or material, the Centurion Hospice will have to close its doors as currently no income is received from the department of health other than irregular funds from the Lotto.
The hospice has embarked on creating sustainable income through the Lime Tree Tea Garden, the laundry (where clothes can be washed at a reasonable rate) and very soon, a nursery.
The current management team and board of governors have a dream to reopen the in-patient care unit as there is such a big demand for this service. Throughout the Tshwane municipal area there are currently very few beds available where those suffering from life-
threatening diseases can be assisted.
The hospice encourages the community to become involved through the following: monetary donations, becoming members, offering their time as a volunteer or becoming involved in the board of governors. Community members can also speak to their friendly staff to find out more on how they may help.
No donation or involvement should be seen as insignificant, the hospice can use all one has to offer to sustain this vital service.
