Mary Johnston-Taylor, Seaview:

It has been my privilege to volunteer at Mountbatten Hospice for many years and in doing so I have witnessed and understood the amazing work that is done there.

From the professional attentive care of the dedicated doctors, nurses, councillors and chaplain to the kindness of all the staff and volunteers.

Nothing is ever too much - be it a cup of tea, general encouragement and understanding or a bedside chat when sleep evades in the night.

Patients arrive fearful of what lies ahead or in great pain and within hours both their medical and emotional needs are being met - so too in our John Cheverton Centre where people are helped to gain the strength for and acceptance of their situation and to make the most of each day.

Years ago I sat holding the hand of a lady in floods of tears.

I imagined she had just received bad news but she finally explained that they were tears of happiness.

She thought she had come to the hospice to learn how to die but found she was learning how to live!

Mountbatten is at the heart of this Island, every day enriching the lives of those we care for and their families who are also suffering - people both in the hospice and the thousands cared for in their homes.

It is of the utmost and pressing importance that the Government and the NHS realise what they have in a hospice like ours and meet the financial support needed before major cutbacks have to be made - and we can no longer give the brilliant service that we do.