The Hopewell Story

THE HOPEWELL STORY
providing hospitality through times of change since 1994

1994 TO 2019

ENCOMPASSING

Hopewell Hospice
Paradise Kids
Integral Education
Simply Divine Cafe
Living Well Respite
Community
A Lasting Legacy

A BIG DREAM

In 1993, Deirdre Hanna an Ecumenical
Chaplain of the Gold Coast Hospital
at the time, had a dream to start a
Hospice providing a place of hospitality
and compassionate loving care during
the end stage of life’s journey.

Together with her husband, the late Rev. Dr Ian Mavor they called a
meeting with 30 friends, formed a not-for-profit organisation and
called it 'HOPEWELL HOSPICE SERVICES INC'. Deirdre was
appointed founding president, Ian was appointed secretary and
supportive friends became Hopewell's Committee Members.

GLORY FARM

‘The Hopewell Story began with the 'GLORY FARM'
in Sickle Avenue, on Hope Island.

'GLORY FARM' Gold Coast’s only Palliative Care Hospice
opened in 1994 ... making Deirdre's dream a reality!

GFLAORRMY

Jocelyn, our first
nurse seen below

with Pearl.

Geoffrey with Deirdre, above
... our very first resident
at Glory Farm in 1994.

To see the sun filtering through the trees,
to smell fresh baking from the kitchen,
to hear the sound of the piano,
to have pets come and stay,
to share in community living,
to have family celebrations,
to receive the gentle touch of a massage,
to have a child or partner come and
sleep over with a young dying parent,
to experience relationships and
to feel acceptance.

These and many other aspects
of what it means to 'be at home'
were incorporated into the
community at Glory Farm.

Seeds of love were sprinkled, watered, flourished and bloomed anew
at Hopewell. The celebrations of life continue...

HOPEWELL HOSPICE

The 8-bed purpose built hospice was opened in Arundel,
on St Clare’s Feast Day, 11th of August 2005.

The Hospice was blessed by:
an Anglican Bishop,
a Uniting Church Minister,
a Jewish Rabbi,
a Muslim Imam,
two Buddhist Monks,
a Greek Orthodox Lay Person
and a Unity Minister



HOPEWELL PROVIDES PALLIATIVE CARE EXCELLENCE

IN A RELAXED HOMESTYLE SETTING

Families are welcome to visit anytime with no set visiting hours.
Families can stay overnight next to their loved one, or in one of our units.
Pets are welcome to visit.
Meals are cooked daily to order, on site in our accredited kitchen with a
freshly baked cake on the dining table everyday.
Our nurses provide the highest standards of care, with a nursing staff
ratio of 2 to 6 residents and 3 to 8, and an RN on duty 24 hours a day.

PHILOSOPHY OF HOSPICE

Hospice is a concept of hospitality for
those dealing with life-threatening illnesses
and who are not able to stay in or return to
their previous home.

The emphasis at Hopewell is on living as full a
life as possible in a home-like environment.
Families, friends and pets are welcomed and
encouraged to become part of the Hopewell family.

Hopewell's grounds have been landscaped to create a
Healing Garden where people can experience connection
with the natural world and its multi-sensory elements.

What grows in a garden is not just plants but the human spirit itself.
It makes community happen ... Matthew Fox

With beautiful tranquil gardens, Hopewell
residents and guests can sit amongst calming waters.

REFERRAL PROCESS

CRITERIA

0 to 3 months life expectancy.
Stopped all active treatment.
Signed a do not resuscitate agreement.
Over 18 years of age.
Referral (GP - family - carer - social worker - discharge planner).

ADMISSION

Our family support officers will determine suitability and needs in
conjunction with our Nurse Manager.
Prioritise admission for next available bed.
Pending clients will be offered phone support and home visits  from
our outreach team.
Bereavement Support Group available for family members.

1,743
...as of 14th March, 2019

In these 25 years,
Hopewell Hospice has
welcomed and provided

hospitality to 1,743
guests, including one

of our founders,
Rev. Dr Ian Mavor

(OAM) in 2015.



Along the way, thanks to generous sponsors and the local community,
Hopewell has expanded. A Counselling Centre for children and their
families and a lovely refurbished Holiday House providing respite

for those living with life-limiting illness added to our custom
built 8-bed Hospice constructed back in 2005.



PARADISE KIDS ... SINCE 1996

In 1995, Deirdre received a Churchill Fellowship to study Spiritual
Care of Cancer Patients. While overseas she envisaged a Hospice
outreach program for grieving and ill children.

The first Paradise Kids group
started in 1996 with 6 children
in Marilyn Jackson’s home in
Burleigh. It then moved to
Tallebudgera Valley, then to
Lifeline and finally we acquired
our own place at our current
address in Arundel.

THE PARADISE KIDS WAY

Paradise Kids aims to heal the heartache. This

emphasis on 'heart work' means we take a holistic

approach to address all aspects of the child: body,

mind and spirit.

We believe that this offers solid

life skills allowing the child to

move forward in life with the

ability to face the future

through the understanding of

their feelings, the restoration

of confidence and resilience to

sustain them in times of

change.



HELP FOR CHILDREN

PK PROGRAMS

Grief & Loss Support Group - 6 to 11 years
Grief & Loss Support Parents & Carers Group
Child-Centred Play Therapy Group - 2 to 6 years
Child-Centred Play Therapy Individual - up to 11 years
Child-Parent Relationship Training - for parents & carers
Boys' Group - 8 to 11 years
Girls' Group - 9 to 12 years

Most Paradise Kids programs are held over six to
seven weeks each school term (4 times per year).



GRIEF & LOSS SUPPORT

The Grief & Loss Support Program was our first program and remains
our core program. This is for children aged 6 to 11, experiencing grief
and loss from traumatic situations at a young age be it through a death,
illness, family separations and other big changes. At this stage of
development children often feel the loss is their ‘fault'.

Our Program provides a supportive space for children to express their
feelings, including their anger. With peer sharing and support, their
grief is ‘normalised’ and they no longer feel alone. Children are helped
to grow through their grief by using a mixture of story-telling, art
activities, movement & music, breath work, stress reduction exercises,
anger-management and mindfulness. They learn inner life skills to help
with the healing process of grief and also to deal with future loss and
change. Teamed with their very own PK Buddy, each child is given
individualised support through their seven-week journey.



the language of play

CHILD-CENTRED PLAY THERAPY

Two to six-year-old little ones can enjoy Child-Centred Play Therapy.
It is a non-intrusive and effective approach when working with young
troubled or pre-verbal children. Play is important for children because it
is the most natural way for children to communicate. Toys are like their
words and play is their language. Children use toys to explore their inner
world and express their experiences and feelings.

This gentle, non-directive and non-judgemental therapy method is used
to help children communicate their inner experiences. It is based on the
belief that children have the internal drive to achieve wellness. These one
and a half hour group play sessions provide a supportive and nurturing
environment allowing each child the freedom to explore, express and
process their inner world. Parents are able to attend our CHILD-PARENT
RELATIONSHIP TRAINING, a concurrent program of our play therapy
group. Individual Play Therapy is also available.

BOYS' GROUP

The Boys' Group allows boys aged 8 to 11 years to experience being with a
diverse group of men who role model how to grow into a good man, to be
masculine without using violence, to be compassionate toward women and
themselves and one another, and also demonstrate showing respect for
others.

Each week, the boys participate in activities that challenge them to grow in
self-control and earn trust through the power of keeping their word. The
boys learn strategies and skills for dealing with conflict in a non-aggressive
manner. This program is fun and active, brimming with activities.

GIRLS' GROUP

The Girls’ Group caters for girls aged 9 to 12 years. The Girls Program
will expand on skills that focus on self-esteem, inner strength and
resilience in the safety of a group environment, whilst collaborating with
their peers and supported by their 'buddy' who is assigned to each girl
providing individual support. The aim is to assist in finding ways to value
themselves and others and promote a positive self-image.



ILLNESS SUPPORT FAMILY HOLIDAY

Paradise Kids Illness Support Holidays were established in April 2009,
offering families from rural and remote areas, and other parts of Australia
who have a child with a terminal or life-limiting illness an opportunity to
enjoy a Gold Coast holiday from 5 to 7 days without the financial burden.
During their stay, the child and the family are offered counselling and
support to help them understand their feelings about the illness and to see
possibilities in spite of their limitations.

The Paradise Kids Illness Support Family Holiday is held in our Living Well
House, a beautiful relaxing coastal inspired home reflecting the Gold Coast
ethos and lifestyle. The family will enjoy having time to experience the
beauty of the Gold Coast, with its many recreational facilities. Illness
Support Family Holiday's are made possible by generous organisations and
community members. A Family Holiday is available once external donor
funding has been received.



A WIDER REACH

"Paradise Kids evolved out of a need
in the our community and has, like
ripples in a pond, spread out into
the wider world".

"The Paradise Kids Way
is easily transportable
and adaptable".

- Deirdre Hanna



STORYBOOK COLLECTION

The Paradise Kids Storybook Collection is designed to be a useful tool to help
children relate to the deep emotional issues and the painful situations they are
currently facing in the safeness of a storybook. The storybooks help children
identify the causes of their feelings and provide gentle reassurance that they
can; handle this change in their life, learn valuable life skills, be reassured of
the ability to handle future challenges, become strong and resilient.

CURRENT TITLES
- Marmalade Clown is Back in Town
-Where's My Dad
- The Rainbow House
- Nobody's Home
- My Flipping Brain

- Missing Ranger (video)
- Forever Friends? (video)

The Storybook Collection includes storybooks, available for purchase and
story videos, available to watch on-the-go for free. We also produce
specially made resources for the children's groups at PK. The Storybook
Collection is an IMF Educational Project for Children kindly designed and
produced by The Rev. Dr Ian Mavor Foundation for Paradise Kids.

As Ian's life revolved around books, he would be absolutely delighted to
know the Storybook Collection is helping children who can't personally
come to Paradise Kids for help and support. For more on the Paradise
Kids Storybook Collection and to purchase storybooks or watch our story
videos please visit ... https://angelappeal.com.au

LOCKYER VALLEY MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM - JULY 2011

The Mobile Response Team formed to help children after the Lockyer Valley floods
of January 2011. Free for families and sponsored by the buddies and a

generous donor as their gift towards Queensland’s Flood Recovery Program.

SAMOA VICTIM SUPPORT GROUP (SVSG - LINA CHANG)
PARADISE KIDS CHOIR AND MOBILE RESPONSE PROGRAM

- 2014



PARADISE KIDS 4 AFRICA

“Australia's answer to Mother Teresa” ... that is how Australia's Channel Nine
describes the Very Reverend Father Dr Themistocles Adamopoulos. Father
Themi {as he is known} is a remarkable human being who has dedicated his life
to helping the less fortunate in Africa, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Father Themi,
who had always admired the work of Mother Teresa, decided to follow a similar
journey. Paradise Kids decided to support Father Themi and his work in Africa.

We are in awe of the enormous difference
he has made in the world, and look
forward to working with Father Themi in
the future. So far, he has... built a village
and a school for the disabled, provided
sewing machines and sewing lessons to
women in gaol, established a primary
and secondary school in Freetown and a
training college for early childhood
teachers.

"Our children are our greatest gifts ...

the future of the planet lies in the hands of our children"
– Deirdre Hanna

Angel Walk Fundraisers



Angel Choir



INTEGRAL EDUCATION

Education has always been high on the priorities of Paradise Kids and
Hopewell Hospice. Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rev. Dr Ian Mavor
(OAM) has a Doctorate in Education, and is a Fellow of the Australian
College of Educators.

Together, he and Deirdre developed
Hopewell’s College of Transformative
Education, drawing upon the work of
philosopher Ken Wilber to provide an
Integral approach to education. Over
the years, thousands of members of the
community have been trained in Grief
Counselling, Palliative Care Education,
Wellness and Stress Reduction, Suicide
Intervention and Integral
Transformative Practice.

Many trainees want to work with children,
so a couple of times a year we train
volunteers in grief counselling to work
as 'Buddies' in the Paradise Kids groups.
Students in a variety of fields, from
different Universities choose do their
practical work with us, here at Hopewell.

INTEGRAL MODEL

SIMPLY DIVINE CAFE

One of Deirdre’s dreams has been to support Paradise Kids through a business.
When the Paradise Kids Counselling Centre opened in 2009 it allowed for the
Simply Divine Café to be integrated as a Café with a second hand bookshop ...
open to the public, 5 days a week. It also caters for functions and celebrations
of life, and provides welcome respite for relatives and friends of patients in the
hospice who can wander through the healing gardens to relax with a book and
a cappuccino. In 2016, the Simple Divine Café expanded to include a unique
range of gifts set up by Frances & Monica.

Kids and adults alike enjoy the warm ambience of the café, with its lovely
outlook over the parklands next door. You can have delicious meals and
divine coffee made by our team of dedicated volunteers under the guidence
of Café manager, Julie Howe and her catering assistant, Kirsty Campbell.

Guests can Choose to Dine In or Alfresco on our Sunlit Deck
Our Café is Perfect for Group Outings or Catch Ups with Friends

We love to Cater for Private Functions and High Teas

Open Weekdays from 9am to 4pm
All Profits from the Café go Directly Back into the Organisation