THERE is less than a week to go for Paul Sartori’s campaign for a new equipment van with nearly £900 already raised.

The hospice at home charity has thanked all those that helped them reach 29% of their £3000 target.

But with further still to go it is hoped that people can give what they can with “several small donations makes a huge difference and will enable us to get closer to our target”, said a spokesman.

The charity highlighted the importance of the service and how vital the equipment van will be with a personal story (names have been changed for confidentiality).

“Mrs Jones has chronic lung problems. She was referred to Paul Sartori Foundation (PSF) by her Chronic Conditions Nurse Practitioner and assessed by the PSF team. Her main problem was that she was struggling to use the bath and felt she needed help with personal care.

“A social services referral had been made by her son as he did not feel comfortable attending to her personal needs himself. PSF agreed to do personal care visits pending an assessment for a care package.

“A PSF Senior Nursing Assistant (SNA) visited and discovered that Mrs Jones’s biggest problem was accessing the bath. She asked the PSF equipment team for a bath hoist, which was delivered that afternoon. The next morning the SNA assisted Mrs Jones to use the bath hoist and Mrs Jones was amazed at the difference this made.

“The SNA went again the next morning to observe Mrs Jones using the hoist unassisted and found her very competent and felt she was safe to use this alone. Mrs Jones was more than happy to bathe independently and felt she no longer needed our help. We updated social services that a care package was not required at present.”

Go to localgiving.org/appeal/paul-sartori-hospice-at-home-equipmentvan to show your support before December 5.