Former nurse who takes calls to Marie Curie’s support line on Christmas Day says ‘the need has never been greater’

A South Wales grandmother who gives up her Christmas Day to take calls to Marie Curie’s free support line from people who are facing death, dying and bereavement says she “never minds” sacrificing family time to be there for those who need support.

Joanne Lewis, 57, who lives in Bridgend, has worked for Marie Curie for four years. She started her role as a support line operator on a temporary maternity cover contract before being found a permanent position, because she loved the job so much.

Marie Curie’s support line, which is open every day of the week – from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm Saturday to Sunday – offers free information and emotional support for people living with a terminal illness and their family, friends and carers, and is funded entirely through donations.

This year, it’s celebrating its 10th anniversary of helping people who are facing death, dying and bereavement – and Joanne says “the need has never been greater”.

“The demand for the services and our calls on Christmas Day and Boxing Day rose last year to the highest level we’ve seen since the service began,” she told PA Real Life.

“It might be a very different Christmas for some, sadly, who are grieving or trying to come to terms with the prospect of a loved one dying over Christmas.”

While she has spent four years supporting people through Marie Curie, Joanne has had a long career of caring. She was a nurse for many years, but retired when her first husband sadly passed away in his 40s.

Then she went to work with children, to have a more flexible schedule to be there for her grandchildren, before going into adult domiciliary care just before the Covid pandemic.

Both Joanne’s personal experience with bereavement and her long career of nursing has made her perfectly placed to be a listening ear for those who need it most – year round, but also on Christmas Day.

“We’re very aware that, for some, Christmas is not an easy time,” Joanne said.

“It can be a difficult time and evoke a lot of powerful emotions for loved ones who are either caring for people on what could be their last Christmas, or themselves, or they’re missing a loved one over this Christmas period.

“I think sometimes the calls just help people to manage those waves of emotions and unexpected triggers that that time of year can bring.”

As such, Joanne said she “never minds” working Christmas Day – even though that means some time away from her own family, she believes supporting people in navigating a day that can be particularly lonely and isolating is well worth the sacrifice.

“I think it’s part of it…” she said.

“And when you hear the feedback following Christmas, from our customer satisfaction and things like that, it does remind you why we do the job we do. Even if you’ve helped one person that morning or that afternoon…”

Last Christmas Day, Joanne had a “reasonably busy” day with steady calls coming in. One caller that has stayed with her is a person whose mum was dying, and while they knew it would be her last Christmas, they struggled with the complicated emotions that came from being in the room with her and facing their impending grief head on.

Joanne and the caller chatted for “quite some time” about their worries and concerns, and discussed ways of coping with their mum’s final days and what they would do when the end came. They also talked about how they might feel if they didn’t take that opportunity to go in and spend time with their mum, going through all of the options and outcomes to help them process their feelings.

Indeed, that caller stayed in contact over Boxing Day and the rest of the festive period, and when their mum’s time came, they were also able to access Marie Curie’s bereavement telephone support service – and they even got back in touch with the support line to thank the team for all of their help when they needed it the most.

It’s this impact that makes it all worth it for Joanne. This Christmas Day, she and two of her colleagues will be on the support line from 10am to 2pm, ready and waiting to help anybody who is affected by a terminal illness and needs a chat.

“We understand that sometimes emotional support can be just as important as the practical support coming into the home, and we would just encourage people to reach out,” Joanne said.

“Everybody needs a bit of support at different times in their life.

“We are a small, friendly team, we can offer a safe place to talk. Even though we’re not qualified counsellors, we’re here to listen, to offer emotional support, to talk through other options of support that there may be for people.

“It can be a struggle for some. They may not be used to talking on the line, or be worried about making that first call, worried that they may cry or be emotional, but we are comfortable with tears.

“We’re able to give some support in maybe different ways that they could find joy in the holidays, to remember their loved ones but in a different way, to combat the loneliness that we know these holidays can bring.

“We are open, ready and waiting for the calls.”

Marie Curie provides expert, hands-on round-the-clock care in people’s homes and in its hospices across the UK, including throughout the Christmas period.

The charity’s free support line (0800 090 2309) and webchat is open over the festive period and is available to anyone with an illness they’re likely to die from and those close to them. For opening hours over the festive period, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/services/support-line.