Newsletter no. 35 (2016) tells the stories of two women at the inpatient hospice. Xolile and Bongiwe are pseudonyms. The newsletter expressly states that patients had agreed to the publication of their stories and photographs at the time.
Xolile’s wish to help others
Xolile was 34 and could no longer work at the factory because of her illness. She had no health insurance, yet she received care at the hospice and could stay for as long as she needed help. Her daughter was living with one of her sisters. Xolile missed her and hoped to regain a more independent life. She wanted to help others in turn and wished for her daughter to grow up caring and willing to share.
A bed and a hand to hold
Bongiwe arrived at the hospice at 27, very weak, after her family could no longer provide the care she needed. When a nurse helped her into bed, she gave a small smile. According to the account, she had previously slept on a blanket on the floor at home. The encounter reminded the nurse of the hospice’s commitment to stay with people through the end of life.
These accounts show what a safe place, dependable care and personal kindness can mean for people living with serious illness. The newsletter does not tell us what happened to either woman later.
Source: Newsletter no. 35, page 7. The date above refers to the newsletter issue, not the exact days of these encounters.