Singer Charlotte Bullen, 20, was digging in the rain to cut the first turf for the new £1.5m Palliative Care East Centre being built at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.
The centre will offer information and supportive care, complementary therapies, psychological and spiritual support and advice on social care and financial matters to people with life-limiting illnesses.
Charlotte, from Belton, helped raise money for the centre by recording and selling CDs.
Dr Jane Scott, GP for lead for palliative care in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, said: “It is vital that people who are given the diagnosis of a potentially life-limiting illness have access to information and supportive care that helps them live their lives as fully as possible. This centre will be a vital hub for patients and their families and will also support a range of services in the community as well”.
Peter Franzen, interim chairman of the James Paget University Hospital, said: “We are indebted to all our donors’ generosity and the new service will play an important role in many people’s lives over the years to come. We are looking forward to working with all our partners to help provide a wide range of information and support services in a centre that will be fit for the 21st century.”
The service will offer patients and carers a one-stop-shop service for information and supportive services. The centre will not have beds but will offer a “home from home” environment offering; access to specialist palliative care support and advice, counselling, bereavement services, complementary therapies, welfare advice, and information about life-limiting illnesses.
The organisations working together on improvements to palliative care and support in Gt Yarmouth and Waveney are:
• Palliative Care East
• James Paget University Hospital
• NHS Norfolk and Waveney
• Great Yarmouth and Waveney Specialist Palliative Care Team
• HealthEast
• St Elizabeth Hospice
• Big C
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• Cruse Bereavement Care
• Marie Curie Cancer Care
• Crossroads Care
• Norfolk County Council
• Suffolk County Council
