Macmillan nurses provide invaluable care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. BEN FITZGERALD spoke to a nurse and explains how you can help the charity continue its good work in the Swindon area.

THOSE whose lives have been touched by a life-limiting illness can often feel frightened, isolated and confused.

The Prospect Hospice's team of Macmillan nurses is dedicated to helping people in such a position and can provide the support needed to help them face the future and make the most of each day.

Ann Yates, 57, is one of a small but highly skilled team of Macmillan nurses based at the hospice that plays a vital role in the care of patients.

Ann, a former nurse tutor and ward sister, joined the Prospect's eight-strong team of nurses 10 years ago and relishes the challenging but rewarding role.

She explained: "As a ward sister, I became frustrated that I wasn't able to give as much of my time to each patient as I would have liked to, so I decided to make the switch.

"As a Macmillan nurse, you can focus more closely on the needs of individual patients which can be very rewarding.

"All the patients we see have either cancer, Aids or motor neurone disease and are referred to us by their GP.

She explained that many patients under her care prefer to be at home among familiar surroundings, but others would rather come into the hospice.

"We are very much patient-led and we try to ensure that their wishes are followed as closely as possible.

"The Macmillan nurses do not work in isolation and liaise very closely with GPs and district nurses to provide best possible care.

"Our role is not just looking after individual patients, we also help to support their family and friends as this is part of the wider picture."

She added that because the Macmillan nurses work so closely with the individual patients, they can often play the role of advocate, when working with other health professionals charged with their care.

"We see patients at different stages of their illness. We support some of them through surgery and if that is successful, we can discharge them.

"Many people assume that Macmillan nurses look after people in the last stages of life, but many of the patients we care for recover.

"Our role is about improving quality of life for our patients."

If you give £25, Prospect can help out 150 patients and their families.

CHRISTMAS is an extremely busy time of year for the Macmillan nurses.

And Prospect Hospice is asking for help to maintain the same high level of service.

This month the nursing team is supporting between 120 and 150 patients and their families, making 300 visits and assessing 40 people who are new to the hospice.

The specialist team is funded entirely by the Prospect Hospice and costs £25,000 a month to run.

But with the number of people referred to the Macmillan nursing team continuing to rise, the hospice needs help to ensure that the high level of service can be maintained.

The Prospect Hospice hopes to raise the £25,000 needed to fund the team for a month the equivalent of 1,000 people giving just £25.

Anyone able to contribute should contact Prospect Hospice community fundraiser Gillian Richardson on 01793 813355.