A NEW DVD has been launched by a south Essex hospice to dispel misconceptions surrounding hospice care.

Commonly, people think you only go into a hospice to die, but St Luke’s Hospice, in Basildon, has produced the DVD to highlight there is so much more to its services than end-of-life care.

Patients share their experiences and thoughts throughout the film, explaining in their own words their initial, unfounded fears and anxieties and how through St Luke’s they found support, friendship, fun and hope.

Leighbeth Winters, of Rochester Way, Basildon, is featured in the DVD with her late husband Richard, who attended the St Luke’s Day Hospice and was supported by its in-patient unit and Hospice at Home services before he died.

Mrs Winters said: “When it was first suggested Richard could benefit by being in St Luke’s care we struggled to accept this offer of support, mainly because we were fearful of the word ‘hospice’ and we didn’t really understand how St Luke’s would be able to help us.

“The DVD is an honest and open account of how we felt. We were truly amazed by the individual care and support we both received.

“It made a big difference to the time we were able to spend together both as a couple and a family. I truly don’t know how we would have coped without the support St Luke’s gave us and is still giving me.”

Staff, healthcare professionals and supporters of the hospice are also featured.

The DVD was filmed and produced with support from John Simms, of technical media company, 2TA Limited, based in Hockley, and volunteers from Basildon’s community radio station Gateway FM, who provided voice-overs.

Marilyn Debattista, head of revenue development, PR and marketing at St Luke’s, added: “The DVD has two main purposes, primarily it is aimed at reassuring people who have misconceptions about hospice care so may resist initial offers of support, as well as informing healthcare professionals about our wider and perhaps lesser-known services that they can refer their patients to.”