Leona Maguire named patron for St Christopher's Hospice

Cavan golfer and Solheim Cup hero Leona Maguire has taken up the role of patron to St Christopher’s Hospice.

Serving the local communities in Cavan and Monaghan, her involvement coincides with the granting of planning permission for a major extension and refurbishment of the existing hospice.

Partnered by the Health Service Executive (HSE), St Christopher’s will be upgraded to a Specialist Palliative Inpatient Unit and integrated with the existing homecare service.

Cavan and Monaghan are two of the last counties in Ireland that do not have a full hospice service, and the development will mean that people towards end of life can move seamlessly between hospice and home, according to their clinical needs, instead of having to travel to larger urban centres.

This state-of-the art hospice development will have 16 bedrooms with all the latest technologies, where patients can have full control of their interior environment, along with personal patios and garden access.

Refurbishment of clinical, patient, family and communal areas has also been agreed, along with landscaping of outdoor space and gardens.

On completion, St Christopher’s will greatly enhance the end-of-life palliative care experience for patients and their loved ones, says the hospice committee.

New hospice patron, Leona stated: “I am very proud to become a patron of St Christopher’s Hospice. Cavan will always be my home and I know what an invaluable resource St Christopher’s is to patients and their families in our community. I’m happy to help and support the delivery of essential end of life care with dignity and compassion.”

The building costs are funded by local donors, the HSE and the Department of Health.