Terminally ill patients at a hospice in England lacked the comfort a hospice was supposed to provide. There were no pressure-relieving mattresses to prevent and relieve bedsores, nor was there a device to easily lift a patient from a wheelchair or bed into a tub.

So local Lions set out to raise funds at a Victorian fair, through collections on the street and by applying for a grant from LCIF. Their efforts have paid off. Today, patients at St. Clare West Essex Hospice enjoy the benefits of eight pressure-relief mattresses and a hydrotherapy bath suite, complete with a hoist that lifts patients from their beds to bath.

The US$20,179 grant from LCIF to Lions of District 105-EA shows how Lions and LCIF can team up to address a critical local need that otherwise might go unmet. Donations of time and money result in a better quality of life for people in desperate need and unable to help themselves.

Opened in 2000, the St. Clare Hospice is a sparkling US$3.2 million facility with eight bedrooms, counseling rooms, a shop and a chapel. Government funding provides for hospice care. But it does not cover all the annual costs of running a facility nor pay for amenities such as pressure-relieving mattresses or a hydrotherapy bath suite.

The Lions and Lionesses clubs of Harlow and Loughton raised about 14,000 pounds for the hospice, which was half the amount needed for the improvements. More than 200 patients a year are expected to benefit from the donation.

"We're really grateful for the time and effort that's been put into raising the money," said St. Clare fundraising manager Penny Sturdy. "It's wonderful."