Suppor&ng End of Life Care Educa&on Guyana (SEOLCEG) Annual Report 5[th] Feb 2024 to 31[st] March 2025
Address: 17, East Way, Shirley, Croydon, CR0 8AH
Trustees: LileNe Denton, Roderick Denton, Alfonso Denton, Michelle Bekoe, Dennis Hing, Chiedu Hing, Tayo Hing.
Objec&ves and ac&vi&es:
The charity’s objec0ves of suppor0ng cancer pa0ents, their families, elderly vulnerable adults with a life-threatening illness in Guyana and raising awareness of Pallia0ve care in Guyana and the UK were achieved in the following ways:
Suppor&ng Cancer Pa&ents:
May 8[th] 2024 a referral from the Beacon Hospice in Guyana was received for Mrs W a 73 yrs old lady who was terminally ill with stage 4 breast cancer. Mrs W was assessed by the hospice nurse as having a prognosis of days. Mrs W wanted to die at home, but her family were unable to help at night.
Request was for a carer to aOend to Mrs W from the hours of 6 PM to 6AM. ARer discussion with the hospice lead nurse, regarding the hours required, the cost and who would provide the care the request was granted. It was also arranged that the hospice nurse would visit daily to assess the pa0ent’s condi0on.
A carer was provided from the 13[th of] May 2024 to 26[th] May 2024 and this enabled Mrs W to die peacefully at home.
SEOLCEG paid for the care services by forwarding the funds to their representa0ve in Guyana, who took payments to the hospice. Receipt of funds were acknowledged by the representa0ve and the hospice lead nurse, and the carer were paid by the hospice.
PS: The Beacon Hospice in Guyana only support pa0ents by undertaking home visits during the day and only opens Monday to Friday from nine to five, and there is no out of hours or emergency contact for cancer pa0ents. However, when a pa0ent is dying the lead nurse will keep in contact with the family via phone, and this is en0rely at her discre0on.
March 2025 a referral was made by the Beacon Hospice Guyana for a dona0on towards treatment for Mrs I who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and needed treatment that could not be done in Guyana. Mrs I needed to be in Trinidad for three days, so hotel accommoda0on needed to be added in. The family fundraised to cover the cost of the flight and hotel accommoda0on for the three days. The Department of Health covered a quarter of the cost.
Evidence of the treatment that needed to be done was sent to SEOLCEG. LileOe followed this up with an email to the diagnos0c centre in Trinidad, to verify the treatment and that the dates correlated. Dr Khan from the diagnos0c centre replied and conformed the date that the treatment was scheduled for. LileOe also discussed the cost and where the dona0on should be sent to. The diagnos0c centre suggested that all funds be sent to the Beacon Hospice as they were coordina0ng the monies collected. LileOe also inquired as to whether the Beacon Hospice was contribu0ng but was told that they do not contribute to treatment outside of the hospice.
SEOLCEG representa0ve in Guyana was sent the funds through a reputable service. Our representa0ve took the funds to the Beacon Hospice and receipt was acknowledged and sent to SEOLCEG.
November 2024 the Beacon Hospice (Guyana) made a referral for a pa0ent with a stoma who needed colostomy bags. The hospice sent a picture of the pa0ent showing his stoma and explaining the difficul0es he was experiencing due to the lack of stoma bags in the country. The pa0ent was reusing stoma bags by washing them or placing 0ssues and a plas0c bag over his stoma. SEOLCEG immediately sent 40 stoma bags via air mail. In December 2024 a further 150 bags were taken to the hospice by a supporter going on holiday. A picture was taken of the supporter delivering the colostomy bags to the lead nurse at the Beacon Hospice.
Suppor&ng elderly vulnerable adult in the community in Guyana:
Feburary 2024 Mr C a 85-year-old man living alone in the community without family support was iden0fied as needing help by our representa0ve, and a referral was sent to SEOLCEG. The lead nurse from the Beacon Hospice made a visit to Mr C to assess the help that was needed. It was agreed that Mr C would be supported with daily meals and cleaning of his living area. His en0re living area, which was slightly bigger than a storage space was made liveable.
When Mr C was brought to our aOen0on he was sleeping on three boxes placed together and covered with his old clothes. There was a toilet in the corner, but it had no cover and there was an open shower.
SEOLCEG representa0ve got him a folding bed, sheets and new clothes, also a toilet seat. His health was also monitored with the help of the hospice nurse, and when he became ill in May 2024 SEOLCEG representa0ve in Guyana organised a CT scan and blood tests paid for by SEOLCEG. Our representa0ve accompanied Mr C on hospital appointments and sent pictures of these visits, along with receipts from the hospital. At the end of March 2025 Mr C con0nued to be supported by SEOLCEG.
August 2024 eight vulnerable adults in the community received monthly food hampers over a period of three months. This was a pilot undertaken by SEOLCEG. The hamper bags had SEOLCEG logo and name and was filled with essen0al items. This is under review.
Presently LileOe is suppor0ng three breast cancer pa0ents, taking their calls and visi0ng with them either in their homes or going out with them for tea/coffee.
Raising awareness of Pallia&ve care in Guyana and the UK
January 2025, one nurse from the Beacon Hospice were sponsored by SEOLCEG on the six months Pallia0ve Care Fellowship Course with the Pallia0ve Care Ins0tute in Deli. This nurse was new to the hospice, had never worked with Pallia0ve pa0ents and had no pallia0ve care training. Training was by zoom with follow up support for six months.
February 4th 2025 SEOLCEG commemorated World Cancer Day with an educa0onal day from 11am to 3PM. This was held at St Lawrence Church Hall in Caiord. This free event was well aOended (55 aOendee), and feedback was excellent. The presenta0ons were:
Presenta0ons were on the following: Overview/History of World Cancer Day (Barbara Kenyon, Pallia0ve/EOLC Facilitator) World Cancer Day Theme for 2025 ‘United by Unique’ (LileOe Denton) Chair Yoga (Sarah Cross)
Debunking myths about cancer and what we can do to protect against it (Stella Whitehouse, Pallia0ve Care Clinical Nurse Specialist).
Las0ng Power of AOorney (Gaye Illsley)
Role of massage and self-care for those living with cancer (Pauline Blackwood).
Networking:
LileOe met with the High Commissioner to Guyana at an outreach he aOended in February 2024. LileOe raised the issue of pa0ents having to pay for radiotherapy. September 2024 LileOe met with the President of Guyana at a recep0on hosted in London. LileOe again raised the issue of cancer pa0ents struggling to pay for treatment and the issue of medica0on (morphine), and colostomy bags not being available.
LileOe is in regular contact with the Guyana School of Nursing and the Nursing Council. Have regular mee0ngs with Stella Whitehouse (Pallia0ve Educator) to discuss ongoing events.
Trustees Report
The trustees met four 0mes during 2024/2025 and con0nued to keep updated regularly by using the SEOLCEG WhatsApp group chat. The group was set up by Dennis Hing and it has enabled the trustees to pass on informa0on as it comes in and to have an immediate respond.
This year saw the launch of SEOLCEG website which was set up by Dennis and is now being maintained by Michelle and Tayo.
Michelle Bekoe (treasurer) manages the accounts and keeps us updated. Michelle is also fundraising and raising awareness of the charity through her workplace.
Chiedu Hing (secretary) manages the planning of the fundraising lunch, World Cancer Day and any other events that need organising. Chiedu organises the fliers for events, the programme, the prepara0on and hosts the event.
Tayo Hing and our young volunteers are always on hand to support events, managing the door, and the raffle.
How income is generated:
Individual dona0ons from supporters and trustees. Annual fundraising lunch. SEOLCEG supporter’s cruise
Key Ac&ons
Be inclusive by Increasing our outreach in other countries. To set up a reserve account.
Ensuring we have all the policies required by the Charity Commission.
Feedback
Mrs I sent ‘thank you’ to SEOLCEG through the Beacon Hospice for the dona0on which helped her to travel to Trinidad for cancer treatment. We also received a picture taken at the diagnos0c centre in Trinidad.
Nurse from the Beacon Founda0on sent a thank you for sponsoring her on the Pallia0ve Care Training with the Deli Ins0tute for Pallia0ve Care.
We received pictures of the food hampers being delivered to some elderly vulnerable adults.
All referrals for cancer pa0ents were from the Beacon Hospice (Guyana). Referrals for support for elderly vulnerable adults were from SEOLCEG representa0ve and the Beacon Hospice in Guyana.
Referrals are recorded on our referral forms and the criteria for making decisions regarding a referral always follows our ‘Grant Making Policy’.
Each trustee has differing skills which are used for the benefit of the public and which complements the team. Trustees have been suppor0ng SEOLCEG since 2019 before we became a registered charity. This is testament to their commitment.
Our representa0ve in Guyana is not paid for his services. He has a highly commiOed full-0me job and has always been compassionate, willing to help others, and is con0nually coming up with ideas for making the lives of those less fortunate beOer. From the incep0on of SEOLCEG in 2019 he has being suppor0ng us.
Report by: LileOe Denton (Founder/director SEOLCEG) Registered charity in England & Wales. (Reg. no: 1206884)
SUPPORTING E14D OF UFE CARE EDUCATION GUYANA (SEOLCEG) INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRusfEES YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 I report on the unaudited accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 RESPEcllvE REPONSIBILMES OF THE TRusfEES AND THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144{21 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Art) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to Examine the accounts under section 145 of the Att To follow the procedufes laid down in the General Dirertfons glven by the Charities Commission under section 1451511bl of the Act.. and To state whether partlcular matters have come to my attention BASIS OF INDEPENDEKf EXAMINEWS sfATEMENT My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directlons given by the Charity Commissloners. An independent examination includes a review of the accountin8 records kept by the charity and the comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also Includes consideratlon of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concernin8 any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence thatwould be required in an audit. and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention: (l) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that any material respect the requirements. la) To keep the accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Att: and (b) To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accountin8 requirement of the Act have not been met: or {2) To whlch, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. J Blake 35 Whitefield Road, Purley, CR8 4BP