The greatest GIFT

These special women are dedicated to helping those in need - even over the festive season

-  ALICE GREBOT

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO SOMEONE'S LIFE IS AN HONOUR' 

Beth Namara, 44, is a Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant, providing home support to people at the end of their lives, as well as their families. She lives in Kent with her three children, aged 24, 13 and seven.

I've worked most Christmases since I started my job at Marie Curie in 2015, but I don't see it as a sacrifice. Caring doesn't stop just because it's the holidays, and this is often the time of year when families need us most. I enjoy spending that time with patients. Often, it will be somebody's last Christmas, and it means so much to share it with them.

Meaningful moments

One Christmas Eve, I looked after a woman who wasn’t expected to live into the new year. She was in her late 20s and had previously worked as a model. Her carer and I asked her what she wanted to do for the evening. She told us she’d love to be pampered, so that’s what we did! We washed, coloured and styled her hair, painted her nails and gave her a massage. We played music, sang and danced. She stayed awake until 2am with a huge smile on her face. She told us we’d made her feel amazing, and that she’d remember me in her next life. I’ll never forget that.

In December 2019, I visited a patient who was living alone. Someone had bought him a turkey, but he couldn’t cook it himself. So he asked me to do it – he gave me all the instructions about how he wanted it marinated and what seasoning to use. He asked me to pour him a glass of his favourite drink – apple juice mixed with some cider – and then we chatted through the night and watched a Christmas movie together. The week after that, he passed away.