This Hospice Care Week, from 6 to 12 October 2025, we join Hospice UK in celebrating the incredible work of hospices across the UK. The theme this year is: “Hospice care is more than you think,” shining a light on the vital, often overlooked work hospices do outside their walls – in people’s homes and communities.
Hospices don’t just manage pain or provide end-of-life care on wards. They help families and children enjoy the things that make life meaningful – whether that’s going to the park, taking a day trip somewhere or simply spending time in their own home. Each year, community nursing teams and volunteers make 1.4 million visits to support people at the end of life in the community, keeping them out of hospital when they don’t need to be there, and allowing them to be where they want most: at home. In 2024–25 alone, generalist palliative care nurses, healthcare assistants, social workers, and carers made 780,000 home visits, while specialist palliative care doctors and nurses made 620,000 home visits. Hundreds of thousands more visits from volunteers – including Compassionate Neighbours schemes – help people do the things they love most.*
For children like Margot, born eight weeks premature and diagnosed with the extremely rare condition Trisomy 9 Mosaicism, hospice-at-home care is a lifeline. Since her early days, Bristol charity Jessie May has been by her side, providing specialist support not just for her, but for her whole family.
Her parents know just how vital this care is. “I can’t imagine life without Jessie May – they have become an integral part of Margot’s life and our lives,” says Dad, Greg. “You’ve only got to see how they have integrated with our family and the support they give Margot. It’s a very unique service, and I would encourage anyone to support them.”
For Margot, who is non-verbal, the familiar purple Jessie May T-shirt is a source of joy. “Her whole face lights up,” says Mum Vicks. “She spins with excitement. She knows she’s going to have fun, get attention, and just enjoy being a child.” In a life filled with hospital appointments and medical procedures, these moments of lightness are precious.
Jessie May’s hospice-at-home nurses are there for families through the everyday and the extraordinary.
Lois, end-of-life team lead, explains:
“Providing care in the home allows us to support the whole family, not just the child. Many families don’t realise how much hospice care extends beyond end-of-life support. Our work in the home gives children like Margot a chance to grow, learn, and enjoy life, while giving parents the reassurance and breaks they desperately need.”
However, despite the incredible value of these services, they are under pressure. Rising costs and uncertain funding are forcing many hospices to cut back services – just as demand continues to grow. With the right support, there is so much more hospices could do to help families live well at home.
Daniel Cheesman, CEO of Jessie May, adds:
“At Jessie May, we believe hospice care is about more than just end-of-life support – it’s about enhancing the quality of life for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Our hospice-at-home service allows families to experience joy, create memories, and find comfort in the familiar surroundings of their own homes. However, this vital service is under increasing pressure due to rising costs and uncertain funding. We urge the community to support us, ensuring that families like Margot’s continue to receive the compassionate care they deserve.”
This Hospice Care Week, we celebrate the thousands of hospice staff and volunteers who make life better for families in their own homes, and raise awareness of why these services need proper funding – so that more children and families like Margot’s can continue to live fully, safely, and joyfully at home. To help families like Margot receive this life-changing care, please donate here.
Hospice care is more than you think – and it’s happening right where families need it most.
*Hospice UK Hospice Activity Data Survey, UK, 2024-25
