NI Hospice - Be There for Them

Sometimes the universe throws strange coincidences your way. Sometimes you feel like it’s for a purpose. This is one of those sometimes.

Earlier in the year our client Northern Ireland Hospice approached us to discuss creating a vital fundraising campaign. We were astounded to learn they are only 37% funded by government, with the rest covered by fundraising and community support. The Hospice, between its inpatient units and community services, cares for around 4,000 adults, children and babies annually, some of which have incredibly complex needs.

That’s a lot of lives touched. And a lot of funding required for such an important cause.

When you walk into NI Hospice for the first time, almost immediately any preconceptions of gloom or solemnity are blown away. No hushed tones here. Hospice is a place of life, and the people who work there are the most positive, happy and caring people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

But the thing about caring, real caring, is it comes with pain. The more you care, the deeper you feel. It was something that initially struck me from speaking to the staff in the briefing process. And it was something we’d go on to leverage in this campaign. The need for fundraising was so vital, so crucial, we needed to be disruptive and look beyond the smiling, happy side of NI Hospice (however true that is), and shine a light on what it really means to the people delivering the care. Authentically and unfiltered.

Our job as creatives in this instance was to capture truth. Through simple one-camera interviews, and unfiltered photography which is beautiful in its starkness. This was about delivering the message in the most authentic, direct way possible.

The interviews that went on to form this campaign featured care staff speaking proudly and compassionately about how privileged they feel to do their jobs. But there, just below the surface, we see a deep well of feelings. That price you pay for caring. This campaign taps into that deep well. Into the very heart of NI Hospice.

The reality for many, myself included, is that a time will come when you or a loved one needs end of life care. And you want that experience to be dignified, and your loved one to be given the chance to live as rich a life as possible before they die. This is what NI Hospice is about, it’s not about dying, it’s about living the best life you can with the time you have.

As we were working on the production of this campaign my mum, the irrepressible Nancy, was reaching the end stage of her life, being cared for at home with the tireless support of community nurses. This meant I was directing our NI Hospice shoot by day, and witnessing first-hand the difference palliative care makes by night. Care that enabled my mum to leave this world peacefully, comfortably and surrounded by her loved ones.

That is a debt I can never begin to repay. And it certainly gave me an experiential insight into the work we were creating (universal coincidences indeed!). Because of these unique set of circumstances I can say without exaggeration that this was the most personally challenging but rewarding campaign I’ve worked on.

We called this campaign ‘Be There For Us’. Because if we as a community don’t take action, then they can’t continue the life-changing care so many families need. It’s so simple to donate, and even the smallest of donations makes a difference.

I’ll be there for them. Will you?

Click here to donate.

Barry McCabe
Executive Creative Director