Mercy Health’s end-of-life care involves a range of services to people and their families when there is no longer a cure for their illness. The team at Mercy Palliative Care serves the western metropolitan region of Melbourne.
Deanne Layton, Manager and Director of Nursing at Mercy Palliative Care (MPC), leads a team of multidisciplinary professionals. Across nursing, allied health and medical clinicians, this team provides the best quality of life possible for over 600 patients – physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.
“Our team wants to provide the best outcome for palliative care patients. We can help them to remain at home if that’s where they want to be for their end-of-life care,” Deanne says.
Martin De Haan knows firsthand the care first approach from the MPC team. After the passing of his wife, Dianne, in 2013, Martin started donating flowers to the Gabrielle Jennings Centre at Werribee Mercy Hospital from his hobby farm near Ballarat.
Martin was grateful for the grief counselling and support he and his daughter received from MPC Bereavement Counsellor Colleen Kannegiesser.
Sometimes Martin would feel uncomfortable during his counselling sessions, unable to express his feelings in an office environment.
Martin and Colleen came up with the idea for a counselling garden – for patients, families or visitors to use to take these difficult conversations outside in nature. He dreamed of a space where people could come together, chat over a hot drink in a comfortable and calming environment.
Lynette was a grateful recipient of Mercy Grief Services. This program provides grief counselling support to those who experience and death outside of the Palliative Care program.
Together, Martin and Lynette decided to fund the MPC counselling garden. It would be a space for everyone to use, clients, families and staff, for reflection and remembrance.
Today, the counselling garden has herbs, plants, trees and plus plans for a mural. It has a small pond and lots of natural light. A large communal table means it can provide quiet reflection or discussions in a group. It has been used by staff and volunteers, patients, families, and visitors.
“I hope this garden can bring some small relief to people when they need it the most,” says Martin.
Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lynette, there is a beautiful, calming space for everyone to gather, to take a moment, to reflect and to recharge. Thank you to these special donors for sharing their stories and trust with us.
If you’d like to fund special projects like this, please contact Vicky Kapourelakos, Philanthropy Manager, [email protected].
You can also donate towards Palliative Care.
Last reviewed August 22, 2024.