St Luke’s joins city care homes for Covid Service of Remembrance

St Luke’s Hospice joined Sheffield care home staff and other health professionals for a special online service of thanksgiving and remembrance for those who have been cared for and lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Picture shows Emma Westerdale-Shaw and Lynne Ghasemi.Picture shows Emma Westerdale-Shaw and Lynne Ghasemi.
Picture shows Emma Westerdale-Shaw and Lynne Ghasemi.

The ceremony was created for the city by the Project ECHO team at St Luke’s.

The hospice is a pioneering leader in the development of Project ECHO, an online tele-mentoring network that enables the delivery of training and education from a specialist hub centre to multiple sites.

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As coronavirus began to take its hold on Sheffield, it became increasingly clear that Project ECHO could build an even stronger network of support, providing specially tailored Covid-19 advice to care homes, nursing homes and residential homes.

Throughout the pandemic that vital level of support and expertise has continued to grow and strengthen.

And the Project ECHO technology allowed the service of thanksgiving and remembrance to be shared with care home teams and other city health service providers on Monday.

Among those taking part were representatives of Sheffield Council, Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield Public Health and Skills for Health.

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Greeting participants were St Luke’s Senior Sister and ECHO Team Lead Lynne Ghasemi and Chaplain Mike Reeder, with a special vote of thanks from Director of Public Health Dr Greg Fell.

Also online were Community Nurse and Project ECHO Knowledge Network Lead Emma Westerdale-Shaw.

“The first person died as a result of Covid-19 on March 2, 2020 and on January 26, the UK reached 100,000 Covid related deaths,” said Mike.

“Sheffield’s care homes were at the heart of the fight against Covid and this special act of remembrance will reflect each Covid death and the impact that had on the our city’s great carers.

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“Above everything else, this was an opportunity for people to take time to reflect on an extraordinary year.

“Our wish is that all who have left this world to be at peace and rest and we say goodbye and are thankful for all they have given to us and to others.

“We are thankful for the care that we were able to give to them and their loved ones.”