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Service will support bereaved families

Jake and Leanna Watson

Hospital initiative to be launched this month

A service to support bereaved families will be launched later this month in memory of a 14 year-old Douglas schoolboy.

 

The Relative Support Service has been established almost 12 months to the day since St Ninian’s pupil Jake Watson died from a severe asthma attack.

 

Noble’s Hospital and Hospice Isle of Man have teamed up with the charity supplying a room at its premises to offer support to families after they have lost a loved one.

 

Jake’s mum Leanna has been instrumental in the initiative.

 

She spoke to senior management at the hospital about losing her son, describing the experience and how the family had little idea where to turn about making funeral arrangements and where to receive bereavement counselling.

 

Demand for the service, which will be run by staff from the hospital’s mortuary team, had been acknowledged for some time but a previous attempt to set up a similar facility in 2008 failed due to a lack of resources.

 

Interim director of hospital services Mike Quinn has praised the insight and energy of Mrs Watson, along with hospital and Hospice officials, - stressing the hospital’s duty of care does not stop when a person dies.

 

Jake’s family will be present at the launch event on September 15, with the service due to start on October 2.

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