Galway hotel owner is offering free stays for people with loved ones in hospice

He is encouraging other businesses around Ireland to do the same.

A hospice is the type of place that you will never understand the true value of until you know someone who needs it. Hospice care involves supporting people of any age in the advanced stages of a life-limiting illness as well as their family and friends. A Galway hotelier has come up with an idea to help the family and friends of those using the Galway Hospice and is encouraging others to do the same. Geoff Canavan is offering accommodation in his hotel to those whose loved ones are patients in the hospice.

''We're offering free accommodation for people who are referred to us by the hospice to come and stay with us,'' he told Her.

Geoff said the idea came to him after seeing the work the organisation do, first hand.

''My sister recently passed away from cancer and so I had an awareness of the work the hospice were doing. One of the most important things when someone is ill, is that you spend some time with them and in my instance, we were living in Galway so it was a bit easier for us, but for those that weren't and they had to travel that can cause some difficulties, so that's where it came from.'' Geoff said. ''The most important thing you have is time, and it's priceless, so if you can facilitate that by giving someone more time with the person who's ill, then it's something worth doing,'' he added.

The rooms are on offer free of charge when available in Geoff's hotel 7 Cross Street Boutique, however, during busier periods he is encouraging more business to do the same so that families visiting loved ones have places to stay.

''We're a small hotel, so hopefully there are other hotels that make take interest in it and support the whole concept. I know that in the summer it can be difficult but certainly in off seasons it's easier to do something like this.''

Galway Hospice currently has two self-catering lodges close to the hospice that can be made available to families but with the large number of people using the amazing service, the lodges are often occupied. The hotel owner adds that accommodation all around Ireland should be following his good deed.

''If it's something that could be done in Galway, it can be done in Cork, Limerick and Dublin too. It can make a tremendous difference to somebody''

Lead image via Facebook/Galway Hospice