Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton has joined forces with a local Hindu temple as part of its mission to highlight accessible palliative care within diverse communities.
Shree Swaminarayan Mandir on Copster Hill Road, Oldham, is central to the town’s Hindu population, providing a wide range of worship, learning and wellbeing support.
By partnering with the temple, Dr Kershaw’s hopes to tackle stigma around end-of-life care in the South Asian community and empower families to decide what is right for their loved ones.
To spread the message, representatives from the temple visited the hospice to film with staff ahead of Diwali (Monday, October 20).
Adele Doherty, CEO of Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, (pictured below) said: “As a hospice, we are acutely aware that people from diverse ethnic groups may find it more difficult to access specialist palliative care services.
“This could be due to generational differences, language barriers, a lack of awareness about resources, or previous experiences with healthcare professionals.
“We want to change this, and our message is very simple: everyone deserves to die with dignity.
“Our friendly nurses, doctors and healthcare assistants work alongside families to deliver free compassionate care that aligns with beliefs and ways of living.”
Alongside its 12-bed inpatient unit, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice offers at-home care via its Caring Hands and Hospice at Home services.
This way, families can access additional support while looking after their loved ones.
Caring for elders is considered sacred in the Hindu faith and this can sometimes lead to apprehension about approaching external services.
Anil Kara, a trustee at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, said: “Within South Asian communities, it can be difficult to ask for help.
“Dr Kershaw’s Hospice provides more than people think, and there is no shame in needing help or accessing services.”
Holistic wellbeing is delivered at the hospice’s wellbeing centre through complementary therapies, counselling, and activities aimed at connecting with the mind, body and nature.
The state-of-the-art facilities include peaceful en-suite rooms and a beautiful landscaped garden, with a new wellbeing centre scheduled to open in 2026.
Alongside a Dementia Hub, people can access the Macmillan 1-2-1 Support Service and Chemo Closer to Home onsite.
Anil Kara added: “We wanted to work with a charity that has supported the community, and we have people in our congregation who have used Dr Kershaw’s’ services.
“As a Hindu temple, we provide somewhere that people can get together and there are friendships between the elderly and young people.
“Dr Kershaw’s is very similar; they support everyone.”
To mark the launch of the partnership, staff, volunteers and trustees from Dr Kershaw’s Hospice visited the temple for a shared meal and to find out about its history.
In September, the temple held a heritage day for the public to learn more about Hindusim and raise funds for Dr Kershaw’s.
Jill Kirkham, Community and Partnerships Lead at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, said: “It is an honour to partner with Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, who already provide so much for the community.
“We have been blown away by the kindness of their congregation, and we are excited to work with the temple to increase awareness of the benefits that high-quality hospice care can bring to families.”
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