St Ann’s Hospice is launching an innovative service for patients across Greater Manchester.

The Being You Centre @ St Ann’s offers support to people living with life-limiting illnesses, which focuses on what’s important to them and being themselves.

Rachel McMillan, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Clinical Services at St Ann’s, said: “We’ve been looking at our Day Therapy service recently and how we can make it even better for those people who need our support.

“The service has been transformed and is now called The Being You Centre @ St Ann’s.

“This name has been chosen simply because we want to help people be themselves again.

“We believe that an illness shouldn’t define anybody – we look past that and see a person, not just a patient or a diagnosis. Our ethos is to always treat people as the individuals that they are.

“When someone is living with a life-limiting illness, they can experience physical, psychological, emotional or social issues which mean that they don’t quite feel like themselves.

“At The Being You Centre @ St Ann’s, based at our Heald Green and Little Hulton hospices, people are assessed and referred to our recently renewed specialist services, depending on their own particular needs, wishes and goals.

“That may include a breathlessness programme, an exercise group, physiotherapy, relaxation, pain and symptom control or complementary therapy, amongst a whole host of other services.”

Brian Hughes is 65 and has been living with chronic heart disease for around 22 years. He’s recently been referred to The Being You Centre.

He says: “I’ve enjoyed it so much and I’ve met lots of people in the same boat as me.

“The Creative Therapist encouraged me to try some crafts. It’s very relaxing and you can’t help but have a laugh.

“I see the hospice doctors when I’m here, I also see the Occupational Therapist who helps me with advice for when I’m at home and I take part in an exercise group.

“It’s a perfectly relaxed environment. It’s not a frightening experience, not by a long way.

“You’re the main person to them, it’s what you want that counts and your family are made to feel just as important. I’ve enjoyed it very much.”

For more information about The Being You Centre @ St Ann’s, you can visit www.sah.org.uk or call the hospice on 0161 437 8136.