Dear Sir,

A few months ago, a letter of mine thanking Agape House and its staff was published, but, given their 25th anniversary and my unending gratitude to them, I felt I should write another.

Many dread the news that a loved one is to be suggested to be admitted to Agape House, as, yes, it is a place for the terminally ill or, more bluntly put, a place where many go to die.

I want to change that. I want to tell Bermudians that it is a place of refuge on a difficult journey and the skill, care and treatment that they offer to those who are nearing the last part of their voyage through life — and the reassurance they provide to friends and family — is second to none.

Nevertheless, having a relative staying in a hospice is always going to be an unsettling and emotional experience to deal with, and a period of great personal upheaval for everyone involved. At such moments, no matter how much we appreciate the efforts of the hospice staff, we often simply don’t feel able to say so at the time.

I have never felt such loss as I have with the passing of my grandmother, but because of the staff of Agape, I have made lifelong friends that supported my family and I during our ordeal. The team who interacted with my grandmother were exceptional in providing personal, social and spiritual needs. Their individualised, personalised care and support was genuine and consistent.

On behalf of my family, I thank the caring staff at Agape hospice for the services rendered during the final stages of my grandmother’s life and for the spiritual support and guidance after her passing. God truly does put angels on Earth. Thank you all for being beautiful angels.

I call upon the public to please keep them in mind when seeking to enter volunteer work or to make donations. They so often are forgotten and they should be at the forefront of our minds because they have touched the hearts of so many in their time of need.

I also call upon the Government and the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital board. As a former employee of KEMH, I can vouch for Agape House having been treated like the unwanted stepchild of KEMH — they get the leftovers of the hospital budget.

I also can tell you the staff there make tremendous use out of the very little given to them, and their care puts that of the main hospital to shame in most cases. I have no issue saying that bluntly.

ROBERT DAVIES JR