College students enjoy eye-opening day at St. Rocco’s

HEALTH and social care students from Priestley College learned about end of life care during an educational day at St. Rocco’s.
The 20 pupils, aged 17-18, spent the day learning about service provision and the role of hospices in the management of life-limiting illnesses, in preparation for college exams in June.
Patient David Chilton, 52, joined the students to talk about his illness and how he is helped by the hospice.
David, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer in December last year and attends the Day Unit once a week, said: “It was a bit nerve-wracking at first talking to the students but I really enjoyed it and they seemed to get something from it. It’s important for people to learn about hospice care and what goes on at St. Rocco’s.”
Lynda Bond, Health and Social Care Tutor, accompanied the girls for their visit. She said: “Today has been a wonderful learning experience for the students, helping them bring their learning to life and prepare for their exams. They have all been surprised by the wonderful facilities at the Hospice and now have a much better understanding of what goes on there.”
Olivia Todhunter, 17, said: “Before today I thought hospices were just a place people went to die but I’ve seen so much more and it’s really opened my eyes.”
Fellow student Carina Harper, 18, added: “I’ve learned that St. Rocco’s looks after families as well as patients, so the support is there for everyone.”
The educational visit is part of a larger initiative run by St. Rocco’s, which engages with schools and colleges across Warrington. RocON! aims to challenge misconceptions around hospices and end of life care, and change young people’s attitudes to death and dying.
The initiative is led by Jan Temenos, who added: “It was wonderful to welcome the college students to the Hospice. As future care professionals, it was fantastic to see how much they learned and how their perceptions changed over the day. I would also like to acknowledge the St Rocco’s team, who gave their time to making the day such a success.”