THE St John of God Murdoch Community Hospice has commemorated 25 years of delivering compassionate end-of-life care with the relaunch of its Footprints Day Centre program.

The only freestanding purpose-built hospice in WA, it provides a unique mix of healthcare professionals and palliative experts to manage the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs of patients and their families. 

Starting out life as an independent, community-funded facility in 1998, the hospice became part of St John of God Health Care in 2006 and recently underwent a $5 million upgrade.

• Hospice caregivers with pastoral care manager May Lee and hospice nurse manager Jessica Wirrell.

“Reaching this 25-year milestone is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional care, and the recent upgrade reflects our dedication to a positive patient experience,” says St John of God Murdoch CEO Ben Irish.

“Since 2006, the Hospice’s integration with the Murdoch community has been transformative in the palliative care and end-of-life space, ensuring we meet the diverse needs of our patients.”

The hospice has a strong relationship with the South Metropolitan Health Service and on average it cares for about 520 people a year including public, private, DVA and self-funded patients.

It’s Footprints Day Centre offers a range of complementary therapies to end-of-life patients, outpatients and their families.

“We successfully re-established the Footprints Day Centre program in 2023 with 11 new volunteers offering their specialist services including massage therapy, beauty therapy, reiki, reflexology, aromatherapy, meditation, wellness support group and craft workshops,” says nurse unit manager Jessica Wirrell.

The recent refurbishment was fully funded by community donations through the St John of God Foundation with updates to individual rooms, the Footprints Day Centre, an outpatient clinic, common areas and family facilities. “Palliative care is about holistic well-being, and we are proud to be a beacon of support for patients and their families in their challenging times,” says Dr Scott Lee, Murdoch’s director of hospice and palliative care. 

For more info about the Murdoch Community Hopsice visit sjog.org.au/our-locations/st-john-of-god-murdoch-community-hospice.