Thirteen-year-old Phumulani came to Blessed Gérard’s Hospice in 2013. His parents had died, and the family caring for him could no longer provide the support he needed during a serious illness. At the hospice he received professional palliative care that eased his pain.
Personal companionship mattered just as much. Caregivers stayed at his bedside, held his hand and gave him comfort during his final weeks. The account in the 2014 newsletter reminds us how much a caring presence can mean at the end of life.
The original photograph on the newsletter page shows Phumulani with a sister at his hospice bed. It is presented here with the dignity and restraint his story deserves.