New mural revealed in Reading as a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to local nurses

Displaying messages of gratitude from the local community, the poignant mural shines a light on the ‘compassion,’ ‘kindness’ and ‘devotion’ of Sue Ryder Nurses across Reading, Newbury, Wokingham and South Oxfordshire.

And it is this devotion that is clear to see when looking at the new stats from the region shared today. As well as delivering 4,105 shifts in the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading in 2022, our nurses also carried out 16,410 visits to people’s homes, care homes and hospitals across the region during the same period.  

“It was such an unknown and scary time, but the Sue Ryder Nurses always went above and beyond to support our family. They visited us three times a day and they built up such a rapport and it really felt like they had become part of our family.

“John was a proud man and they always treated him with dignity, while also taking the time to remember his interests and talk to him about the things he enjoyed. It was also the little things - like remembering our dog’s names and knowing when I needed a hug that meant so much.”

- Tina talking about her husband John, who was cared for at home by our nurses

This year, our nurses in West Berkshire have carried out 62% more appointments from January to March, while their colleagues at the Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub South Oxfordshire have already cared for 15% more patients than in the same period in 2022. And this demand is predicted to grow, as our own research found that the number of people expected to receive palliative care each year in England is set to increase by 55% by 2030/31.  

This is why we have commissioned this mural as part of our wider We Are Sue Ryder campaign. We want to convey the heartfelt thanks to our nurses from the local community, and use the opportunity to highlight the need for our services in the area.

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