Exeter hospice named Searle House

Our Exeter hospice has been named Searle House in recognition of the dedicated local family which helped establish our vital service.

Liz and John Searle were the driving force behind the group which 33 years ago established us as a local charity. Starting with just two community nurses Hospiscare quickly expanded and we opened the hospice on the RD&E Wonford site in 1992.

Today Hospiscare has 160 staff, 1,000 volunteers, three day centres and a 12 bed hospice; these services cost us £6m a year to run, with £1.25m funded by the NHS and the rest by fundraising events, community and business support, Hospiscare retail services, grants and gifts in Wills.

John was the long-standing chairman of Hospiscare and has served as the charity's president for more than 15 years. Every year more than 2,000 people, living in Exeter, East and Mid Devon, receive the very best of end of life care in what is frequently described as a “five star” service, which is free of charge.

Glynis Atherton, Hospiscare chief executive said: “The hospice is being named Searle House to recognise the amazing contribution of the Searle family to the foundation and continuing success of Hospiscare.”

John said: “We are enormously honoured. Naming the hospice Searle House is about recognising the contribution the family has made. Elizabeth and I did this together. Elizabeth continues to fundraise by running marathons and has raised nearly £24,000.

“The children paid a price because I was not around very much but they were amazing, enthusiastic supporters and continue to be.”

Liz said: “Our children, Tim, Rebecca, Mark and Rosie were all passionate Hospiscare supporters and used to cycle around the city delivering Hospiscare letters. They sold cakes at school and a lot of their friends were wearing Hospiscare sweatshirts and t-shirts.”

After a fundraising event Liz would count the money, even until midnight, desperate to get the sums right. “Our dining room was out of action for some time because it was full of logo goods,” said John.

It was John’s early days as a medical student that sowed the seeds of what was to become Hospiscare. As a 22-year-old medical student on ward rounds he was horrified to hear a consultant dismiss the needs of a critically ill woman by telling staff to give her a bottle of whisky a day and send her home.

“I thought there must be a better way,” said John.

The work of Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern hospice movement, made a huge impression on the couple, helping them to establish Hospiscare, with its ethos of always putting the patient first and recognising the need to provide a holistic approach to end of life care: enabling patients and their families to treasure the time they have left.

John is very keen that the work of the steering group is recognised. ”Nothing would have happened without them, they were a fantastic group of people to work with. We were all doing it by the seat of our pants, we just got on and did it.”

John believes passionately that Hospiscare must provide the highest quality professional nursing and medical care in all the different disciplines. “But that’s still not enough. It’s about bringing light into what’s a dark time for patients, their families and those close to them.

“It’s about doing the last bit well and that’s about attitude and ethos. If you want to bring your dog into the hospice, you’re welcome to! That’s what makes Hospiscare special.

“We are absolutely thrilled at the expansion of Hospiscare and could never have imagined it. Hospiscare has not only kept its ethos but has managed to grow and maintain its focus on the individual patient and those close to them.

It has also adapted to the modern world without losing its fundamental vision. That’s been the brilliance of the people who have taken on the baton from us.”

Liz Searle, midwife, matron and marathon runner

Liz 72, started her career as a nurse, became a midwife and matron at Exeter School and recently took up running marathons to fundraise for Hospiscare.

“Hospiscare was coming up to 30 years and I was 69 so thought would combine the two forthcoming milestones by running my first ever marathon, in Milton Keynes and have run three London Marathons in consecutive years. Last year our two sons ran it too.

“The training is ok, it’s collecting the money and writing the 130 thanks you cards that of course takes a lot of time! I just do it for Hospiscare, people are terribly generous because they believe in Hospiscare.”

Liz shaved 18 minutes off her latest running time and is hoping to reduce it again in 2016.

John Searle, medical man, physical instructor and cathedral canon

Canon, Rev John, 73, retired consultant anaesthetist and director of intensive care at the RD&E, was ordained in 1995, spending three years working weekends in a parish whilst continuing his medical career.

Rheumatoid arthritis meant John had to give up medicine and was able to do more ministerial work. But another job also beckoned.

“I heard about the huge benefits fast exercise can make and decided to train and qualify as a personal trainer and did this part time for 10 years until retiring from last September.“

Last year, completely out of the blue, the Dean of Exeter and the Bishop of Exeter asked me to become a residential canon at the cathedral. They changed the rules on age limits so I could this! It’s an absolutely privilege and a joy, a new experience.”