Charlotte Varcoe
A CHARITY ball will be held for the second time to help raise funds for In Home Hospice Care.
The hospice care program trains volunteers to support those at home receiving palliative care.
The Key2Kindness Charity Ball – hosted by the Commodore and organised by Key2Sale – first kicked off the fundraiser in 2022 where it raised enough funds for a cuddle bed at the Mount Gambier and District Hospital.
Charity Ball organiser Gail Richards said the bi-annual event would focus this time on supporting the In Home Hospice Care program and continue on improving palliative care services in the region.
“We have decided to run another event and this time keeping in mind the funds will go towards palliative care services,” Ms Richards said.
“In Home Hospice Care is obviously a volunteer organisation which is doing great things and it helps keep patients at home and have that support along the journey.”
She said the initiative came following her own experience with palliative care services after her grandmother passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It all started from the fact that my grandmother was treated at the hospital in that Covid-19 time when everything was very tricky,” Ms Richards said.
“I thought the hospital did an amazing job, given the circumstances, so it about giving back and seeing my grandmother’s journey with cancer and trying to make a difference.
“There is still a lot we can do in this community.”
She said having a hospice-purpose built facility in the region long term would be ideal with the Charity Ball aiming to help keep the In Home Hospice Care and other services running.
“We do not want to see our services decline,” Ms Richards said.
“We want to help continue to build what we have got but with the long term vision that one day there would be a purpose built facility for terminally ill patients and their families to be able to have that specific support and care.”
She said tickets were currently on sale with availability for 150 people to fill the capacity of the venue.
“We have got entertainment with Emma and Alison Richardson, Diane Wright who is the founder of the hospice in Colac as our guest speaker and we also have some pretty cool auction items up for grabs,” Ms Richards said.
“Without grants and funding In Home Hospice Care cannot continue to run so this will help them with their overall cost to train and support volunteers to be able to then support families and patients so we do not want to see that service dissolve.
“We want the community to support the night so if they come along and have a great night as it is good fun and it is a great opportunity to network and frock up.”
She said if people were unable to come along, they were still able to donate by contacting the Key2Sale office.
