Our Engagement Officer and Muslim Chaplain Naureen Khan will be one of the guest speakers at an event in Sheffield city centre this Sunday to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Day of Reflection, organised by Compassionate Sheffield, will begin at 10am at the Willow Tree Memorial at Balm Green in Sheffield city centre.
There will be a creative workshop from 10am to 2pm when guests will be able to decorate wooden leaves as a tribute to loved ones, while from 12 noon to 1pm there will be a memorial led by Coun Tom Hunt, the Leader of Sheffield City Council, when Naureen will be among the guest speakers.
“The pandemic brought multiple challenges for St Luke’s from a perspective of safety, maintaining services, contributing to the local and regional Covid response, and our financial stability as a charity,” said Naureen.
“For the first time, we found ourselves navigating unknown challenges to deliver our services whilst also fighting for our organisation’s future but throughout this time and its many challenges, St Luke’s had one clear aim - to deliver the best care and support that we possibly could and I’m proud to say that during the pandemic we were able to continue caring for patients and their loved ones.”
Between April 2020 and March 2021 – the height of the pandemic - we cared for 1,905 patients, made 4,848 in-person visits to patients and families at home or in care homes and also made 16,000 video and phone calls to patients and families to support their care.
We also extended our community team working hours during the lockdowns, to provide visits, phone and video support until 8pm, helping the most vulnerable people to not feel alone.
“Our St Luke’s vision is a world where patients and families facing terminal illness don’t feel alone and receive the care and support they need to make the most of precious time, and experience a good death,” said Naureen.
“During the pandemic, the world stood still, and people across the world felt alone, weren’t able to make the most of precious time and sadly didn’t experience a good death.
“We were really grateful for the end of life exemption that meant St Luke’s could still offer some visiting, especially towards end of life – when time together is so precious.
“We were also fortunate enough to experience moments of joy during the pandemic too – enabling several patients to marry their loved ones either at home or on our In Patient Centre.”
“As one of our patients said: ‘St Luke's saved me and my family from going under. Their practical and emotional and medical help reassured us all that we would not have to be separated again from mum and she would not pass away without us by her side. In 2020 that was such a blessing.’”
Naureen added that she herself felt really proud not only for St Luke’s, but for Sheffield as a community, that organisations and charities came together and worked as hard as possible to support people at such a difficult time.
“I hope that a lasting legacy of the pandemic is for people to make the most of precious time,” she said.
“Some people had to isolate for months at a time, experiencing severe loneliness, while others never got to say a final goodbye to a loved one.
“Even for those who aren’t affected by a terminal illness, time is still precious for us all and the pandemic definitely taught us how important it is to appreciate each day.”
Compassionate Sheffield is the organisation funded by the NHS Integrated Care Board, Sheffield City Council and St Luke’s.
Its aim is to improve experiences of death, dying, loss and grief in Sheffield, collaborating with people, communities and organisations and creating spaces where people feel safe and supported to explore and develop their knowledge of the death and bereavement process.
For more information of the day’s full programme click here