Dragonfly Scheme South Tees Hospitals

Dragonfly Scheme South Tees Hospitals

09/08/2026

When I am dying, I don’t want the last sounds I hear to be machines beeping and alarms going off telling me what I already know, which is that my body is shutting down and I am dying.

I don’t want machines keeping me alive.
I don’t want machines feeding me.
I don’t want to feel the suffocation of the blood pressure cuff as it squeezes my arm every hour on the hour.
I don’t want IV’s stuck in my arms, or tubes down my throat.
I don’t want other people making decisions for me.

I don’t want to be in a room that isn’t mine, with a view of medical charts and notes stating when I had my last bowel movement, when my medications are due, or how many times I have been turned and repositioned, which by the way is obnoxious when you are dying and I definitely do not want that.

I don’t want fluorescent lights on above my head, forcing me to keep my eyes closed so they don’t burn from the glare.

I don’t want people walking into my room as though it is theirs and not mine.

I don’t want strangers telling me what to do or how to feel or treating me like I don’t have feelings.

I don't want people to talk over or about me as if I can't hear. I can hear and I will hear you!

I don’t want my family to wait day after day in a stark hospital room knowing there is nothing else anyone can do but wait.
This is not how I want to die.
This is not how I want the people who love me to see me die.

I have written down everything that is important to me so that none of the above ever occurs.
I have listed where I want to be, who I want there, what music I want to hear, how I want to be cared for, what I want to wear, how I want my symptoms managed, and to what extent I want people to go to keep me alive.

When I am dying, I want my wishes honored, my voice heard, and my death peaceful.
I want this for you too!

Please write down your wishes and share them with the people you love.
Have the conversation.
Talk to your family and friends.
I promise you… it won’t happen sooner because you talked about it.

xo
Gabby
www.thehospiceheart.net

My book “The Conversation” is a great way to get the conversation started.
https://a.co/d/5kDTiSn

My class “Your End-of-Life Wishes”
can be found here:
https://www.thehospiceheart.net/your-end-of-life-wishes

You can find this blog here:
https://www.thehospiceheart.net/post/when-i-am-dying

29/07/2026

We're creating our Teesside Hospice 2027 calendar, and need your help again! 📆

If you've got a love for photography and want to support our 2027 hospice calendar, we'd love to see your imagery in our next edition!

Through our 2027 calendar, we want to capture the beauty of our local community and what Teesside has to offer. Your participation is crucial to our cause, as the proceeds from the calendar sales will raise vital funds for our hospice, and for those living with a life limiting illness in Teesside.

If you'd like to take part, please email your photo submissions to [email protected] by Friday 7th August. If you have any questions or need more information about the competition, feel free to contact us! Thank you 💜

29/07/2026

💙 Grief Café at Mortlake Crematorium 💙

Grief can feel lonely, but you don't have to face it alone.

Join us on the first Saturday of every month, from 2.00pm–3.30pm, in our beautiful waiting room for our Grief Café.

Tea, coffee and cakes are provided, and you'll find a warm, welcoming space where bereaved people can come together. There is no expectation to share your personal story, you are welcome to simply sit with others who understand.

There are often tears, but there is laughter too. It's about people supporting one another through kindness, understanding and companionship.

Everyone is welcome.

📍 Mortlake Crematorium
🗓️ First Saturday of every month
🕑 2.00pm–3.30pm

If you need immediate bereavement support, please contact who offer excellent advice and resources for anyone coping with loss.

28/07/2026

Our next Support for Mums online meeting will take place on Tuesday, 4th August 2026 at 11 am.

These meetings will then be held:
📅 First Tuesday of every month at 11 am-12 am
📍 Online
📩 For the link to join, please email [email protected]

You are not alone. We are here for you 💚

28/07/2026

For many affected by cancer, the difficulty of finding suitable travel insurance can become a barrier to taking a holiday and spending quality time with loved ones.

We’ve partnered with Lighthouse Travel Insurance , to help make travel a possibility, even when a cancer diagnosis makes life feel uncertain.

If you have a cancer diagnosis, or have had cancer in the past, this can affect your travel insurance and how much you pay for cover.

Our partnership will connect you with a range of specialist insurance brands, so you can explore options and choose what's right for you.

For more information on things to think about ahead of booking travel insurance, click here: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/travel/buying-travel-insurance

28/07/2026

DAME ESTHER RANTZEN DBE -talks about why The Good Grief Trust i… Linda Magistris needs your support for The Good Grief Trust Umbrella Bereavement Charity

28/07/2026

Bereaved parents, adult siblings and grandparents are all warmly invited to join us on a walk-and-talk.
Explore your local or a new area and find gentle companionship with others surviving the loss of a child, sibling or grandchild.

Find an upcoming walk near you at tcf.org.uk/walks

28/07/2026

We have new dates for our dad’s online support groups. The next one is Monday 17th Aug at 7.30pm (UK time).

Please email if you would like to come along and we will send you the link.

[email protected]

28/07/2026

Whatever you are doing this summer, we know that your grief goes with you. But so do we.

We are still here if you need support over the summer. You can speak to a bereavement specialist between 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday, no appointment needed.

Call 0800 02 888 40
Email [email protected]
Live chat at childbereavementuk.org and talkgrief.org
Text/WhatsApp 07418 341 800

We support grieving children and young people, and parents bereaved of a baby or child. Support is available if you're 25 or under, or if your baby or child has died or is expected to die before their 26th birthday.

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Middlesbrough

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