Presentations
Since Melissa passed away I have given several talks to personnel at the Queen's Hospital, Burton on Trent and also to a group of Bereavement Counsellors at St. Giles Hospice. The talks are based on various aspects of our experience and can be tailored to suit a particular audience.
| Hospital Life | Melissa went from student to patient in a matter of weeks and the change of environment takes a lot of getting used to. This talk covers life as a patient and the role of the carer as well as hospital practices that work, ones that don't work and how/if things could be improved. It also focuses on the role of hospital staff and the view of their work from a patient/carer point of view. |
| Fighting the Government | When Melissa decided to suspend her university studies for a year, she applied for financial support from the government. We quickly found out that she wasn't entitled to Income Support and the benefits she could apply for weren't a given, the awarding of them depended on how ill she was and with both Incapacity and Disabled Living Allowance there was a six month wait. And so began a 2 year fight with the government to change the law so that student's with long term illnesses who suspend their studies to recover are entitled to benefits. This talk is based on the campaign to change the law and how one person can make a difference. |
| End of Life Care | The End of Life talk gives a brief history of the illness, from the point of diagnosis to the day we were told that nothing more could be done for her. It then focuses on the six weeks that followed. Melissa's end of life care was excellent and this presentation charts the story of that time. It focuses on the Liverpool Pathway, the role of the District Nurses, the local GP and the carer. |
| Bereavement and Grief | We started grieving the moment we were told that nothing more could be done for Melissa. In the two years since Melissa passed away life has changed beyond recognition. We've changed as people. Some people's attitudes have changed towards us. This talk gives an insight into life without our daughter and how we deal with the grief. |
| Fund Raising | Since Mel passed away I have devoted a lot of my time to raising awareness of Lymphoma and also raising funds for the Lymphoma Association. This presentation talks about my various cycle rides, the training, the highs, the lows and the sense of achievement when you cross the finish line and reach your target! |
| One Day at a Time | Based on our book, One Day at a Time ~ Mel's Story, this talk portrays Mel's illness from the summer of 2007 until the day of her funeral in May 2008 and follows the journey we took. It includes extracts from the book and in particular certain events in Mel's own words. It also demonstrates how we can take positives from the even the most desperate events and times. |
The talks can be tailored to suit organisational needs and can last up to two hours. For further information please contact me at ian@mad4mel.co.uk
July 27th - Three talks at Queen's Hospital on End of Life Care
July 21st - Talk at Marie Cure Hospice, Solihull on Bereavement
July 13th - Talk at Queen's Hospital Burton on End of Life Care