The Paul Sartori Foundation, Pembrokeshire’s only Hospice at Home Service
HISTORY
The Paul Sartori Foundation, Pembrokeshire’s only Hospice at Home Service, established for those with a life limiting illness, was founded in memory of its namesake Father Paul Sartori.
Father Paul Sartori, a Haverfordwest-based Parish Priest, saw a need for hospice care in Pembrokeshire. Shortly after recognising the need he unfortunately became ill himself and died from cancer at the age of 39, in 1980. His inspiration moved a small group of his local parishioners and in his memory friends strived to bring his ideas to fruition and so the Paul Sartori Foundation came about.
In 1982 the Foundation became a registered charity; shortly afterwards funding was granted for a nurse, Carmel Gould, who was also one of the Foundation’s founding members. However, in May 1981, Paul Sartori Foundation was formed initially with a home care service team of 6 carers.
The registered charity has gone from strength to strength, in the financial year 2016/17 supporting 1026 people in the county, providing 1147 equipment loans, 19,943 hours of hands-on care, providing 74 patients with complementary therapy and 227 with counselling and bereavement.
The Hospice at Home Service now provides a range of services to people living in the final stages of any life limiting illness, dispelling the belief that it is a ‘cancer charity’ and operates an open referral system.
Services include: including home nursing care, equipment loan, complementary therapy, bereavement and counselling support, clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, physiotherapy, advance care planning and training.
On 18th April 2017, a service was held in honour of Father Paul Sartori, celebrating 35 years of the charity. These are a few extracts from the memorial book:
“…He (Father Paul Sartori) still inspires me to be a better person and I wish I could do magic like he did…”
“A fantastic man and friend. Many good memories – too many to mention. He would be so pleased with the work of The Paul Sartori Foundation – his dream come true!”
“…grateful to be apart of this amazing Foundation – always so close to my heart. Thank you to all his (Paul Sartori’s) dear friends, who have made his dream a reality…”