Hospice founder retires

Margaret Geoghegan MBE

The founder of Springhill Hospice, Margaret Geoghegan MBE, has retired.

After holding the role of Chairman for 28 years Mrs Geoghegan, 88, has stepped down, but has been given the honorary role of President.

Almost 30 years ago Mrs Geoghegan set the ball rolling for the Hospice, following the realisation that there was a need for a hospice in Rochdale.

Mrs Geoghegan was a ward clerk on a male medical ward at Birch Hill Hospital –where many were cancer patients and the nearest hospices for them to visit if needed were in Yorkshire and Cheshire – when she first had the idea for a hospice in Rochdale, but she says the real trigger was when her husband died from cancer.

“I was aware of a lot of cancer,” she said, “And when my husband died it became personal.”

In May 1983 a campaign was launched for a hospice in Rochdale. Mrs Geoghegan held public meetings and gave talks to various groups across the borough as well as attending conferences up and down the country – an experience she describes as “incredible.”

Fundraising started and the interest in the hospice began to grow. Plans were drawn up and soon the hospice started to be built.

“One day after I’d had my tea, I thought I’d go and see how things were coming along,” she said, “I was coming up the drive and I saw the roof trusses and I felt at that moment that this was it.”

The Hospice’s first patients, two men from Middleton came in October 1989.

On 1 November 1989 the hospice was officially opened by Princess Anne. A day Mrs Geoghegan remembers as “wonderful.”

It now has a 16 bedded in-patient unit consisting of 11 single rooms, and three multi-occupied bay beds as well as a lounge area, overnight accommodation for families and day hospice facilities.

There is also an education centre named after Mrs Geoghegan

The cost of running all aspects of the Hospice are in excess of £2.7 million, which equates to £7,500 per day.

Over the years the Hospice has been extended twice and thousands of patients and their families have been through the doors.

In that time Mrs Geoghegan has been recognised with an MBE and given the Freedom of the Borough.

She said: “It has been a great experience.

“I am very proud, not for me, but for the support from all walks of life, for the people of Rochdale, not only for financial support but for the hundreds of volunteers that man the hospice and save us lots of money. Various groups of people have helped us over the years.”

Councillor Robert Clegg, who has been involved with the hospice since the early days, will now take over the role of the Chairman of the Board of Springhill Hospice.