Gideon the pony pays special visit to Moya Cole Hospice patients
Rebecca brought Gideon to the hospice to meet with patients, families, and staff to thank them for the care her uncle received on the ward
The sound of hooves clip-clopping echoed through the Moya Cole Hospice ward as Gideon the Shetland Pony paid a very special visit to patients, families, volunteers, and staff.
Rebecca Marchmont brought her pony, Gideon with her to the Little Hulton hospice, where he toured the ward visiting almost all of our patients, and bringing smiles to faces as he went.
He was donned with colourful flowers in his braided hair, and was supporting black, glittery hoof boots as he trotted the halls of the ward.
Rebecca brought the pony to the hospice free of charge as a thank you to the hospice who cared for her uncle, John Roberts, in 2016. Rebecca is a GP and as part of her doctor training she was placed at the Heald Green hospice for six months.
When I got Gideon, I just knew I wanted to bring him here to say thank you for the care my uncle received. I still use everything I learned during my six months in Heald Green in my practice. I learned so much about palliative care and end-of-life care Rebecca Marchmont, Gideon's Owner
“My uncle suffered from head and neck cancer, and he wanted to be cared for at home, but we couldn’t control his symptoms. He ended up being admitted at the end of December 2015. It saved us as a family. We went from being his carers to being his family again.”
Rebecca has brought Gideon to a number of care homes and hospices in the region. She says one of her favourite things is seeing the smile it brings to people’s faces.
“You get to witness that joy. It’s also great for the staff. At the moment, it’s a hard time in the NHS, so you get to bring some smiles to the staff. They love it as well. It’s also something extra for the patients; it’s not a prescription. It’s just bringing them some quality time. It’s lovely to be able to provide them with photos and memories,” she said.
Gideon enjoyed his day touring the hospice and went home to some well-deserved treats.