Who we are
Foyle Hospice is a local charity. We give specialist palliative care to people living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, and we support their families.
Our care is free. We provide it in people’s own homes across the whole Western Trust area, and at our hospice on the banks of the River Foyle in Derry~Londonderry.
Read this page in short
- Foyle Hospice is a charity in Derry~Londonderry.
- We care for people who have an illness that cannot be cured (Life limiting).
- We also help their families, and people who are grieving.
- We care for people in their own homes and at our hospice.
- Our care is free.
- Local people pay for most of our care by giving money, raising money and shopping in our charity shops.
Our purpose
Our mission
To provide compassionate palliative care to individuals with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers through high quality, specialist, holistic support.
Our vision
Working in collaboration with our supportive community, we will strive for excellence and seek innovation in providing specialist, multi-professional palliative care to patients, their families and carers in the hospice and in their own homes.
Our values
- Quality and excellence
- Compassion and dignity
- People at our heart
- Responsible and effective stewardship
- Togetherness
- Community
- Innovation and professionalism
- Transparency and equality
Our priorities
Our Strategic Plan 2023 to 2026 sets out four priorities.
- Reach out to more people across our community who might need our services.
- Enhance and improve the way we deliver end-of-life care.
- Manage Foyle Hospice as effectively and efficiently as possible.
- Identify gaps and secure the investment needed for comprehensive, patient-centred services.
Our care
Palliative care helps people live as well as possible with an illness that cannot be cured. We care for the whole person, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, and we support the people around them.
We care for people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, including heart and lung disease, dementia and progressive neurological conditions.
In your home and community
Across the whole Western Trust area, from Derry~Londonderry and Limavady to Strabane, Omagh and Fermanagh.
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Care in your home
Our community specialist palliative care nurses visit people at home, help with symptoms and work alongside GPs and district nurses. Our nurses are also based alongside Trust colleagues in Omagh and Enniskillen.
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24-hour telephone advice
Patients, families, carers and health professionals can call (028) 71 351 010 at any time and ask for a nurse or doctor.
At our hospice on Culmore Road
On the banks of the River Foyle in Derry~Londonderry, and open to everyone we care for.
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Inpatient Unit
Nine beds and round-the-clock specialist care in a home-from-home setting, for symptom control, respite and care at the end of life.
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Day Therapy
A relaxed day of therapies, symptom advice, emotional support and good company.
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Counselling and bereavement support
One-to-one, family and group support for adults. You can refer yourself, and the person who died does not need to have been our patient.
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Healing Hearts
Support for children and young people aged 4 to 18 when someone close to them is seriously ill or has died, whatever the cause.
Most of our clinical services need a referral from a GP, hospital consultant or palliative care team. You can refer yourself for bereavement support, counselling and Healing Hearts.
Our year in numbers
April 2025 to March 2026, from our Annual Report 2025/26.
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1,048
referrals to our community specialist palliative care teams
Up from 989 the year before
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99%
of those referrals triaged within two days
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143
admissions to our Inpatient Unit
85% average bed occupancy
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772
Day Therapy attendances
Referrals up 40% on the year before
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755
counselling sessions for adults
93 new clients
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111
children and young people referred to Healing Hearts
How we’re funded
All of our care is free for patients and families. In 2025/26 it cost £5.28 million to run Foyle Hospice, around £14,500 a day.
Six in every ten pounds came from our local community. Most of the rest came from the Department of Health.
Total income £5,004,162
- Our local community 60% £2,998,058 from fundraising events, our shops, donations and gifts in wills
- Department of Health 39% £1,940,735 in statutory funding through the SPPG and the Cancer Charities Support Fund
- Investment income 1% £65,369
See the full breakdown
| From our local community | |
|---|---|
| Fundraising events | £1,407,695 |
| Our shops | £631,446 |
| Donations | £483,435 |
| Gifts in wills | £475,482 |
| Community total | £2,998,058 |
| From the Department of Health | |
| Statutory funding (SPPG) | £1,767,515 |
| Cancer Charities Support Fund | £173,220 |
| Department of Health total | £1,940,735 |
| Other | |
| Investment income | £65,369 |
| Total income | £5,004,162 |
Inpatient care is our biggest cost, at £2.62 million in 2025/26. We also received £374,795 in restricted grants for specific projects, including our Southern Sector community team.
The SPPG is the Department of Health’s Strategic Planning and Performance Group.
Our people
Our nurses, doctors, counsellors and therapists work alongside catering, housekeeping, administration, estates and shop teams. Together they make Foyle Hospice a place of comfort and expert care.
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volunteers help everywhere, from the Inpatient Unit and Day Therapy to our gardens, shops and fundraising events. 40 new volunteers joined us in 2025/26.
We are governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, chaired by Gerard O’Hara. Donall Henderson, our Chief Executive since 2014, leads the hospice day to day with our Senior Management Team.
In 2025/26 we thanked our outgoing Chair, Angela McIntyre, whose work for Foyle Hospice has spanned five decades.
We are proud to have three Patrons: Bronagh Gallagher, Roma Downey and Nadine Coyle.
Our story
Foyle Hospice began with a home visit. Local GP Dr Tom McGinley was caring for an 18-year-old man who was dying of cancer at home, and that is where the idea for a hospice began.
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1983
The first Female Walk, started by Dr McGinley, becomes our first major fundraiser.
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1984
A small steering committee is set up.
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1985
Our Home Care team begins, with two specialist palliative care nurses.
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1991
Our nine-bed Inpatient Unit opens on 21 June.
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2001
Our Day Care Centre, now Day Therapy, opens.
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2013
Singer and actor Bronagh Gallagher becomes a Patron.
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2014
Donall Henderson becomes our Chief Executive.
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2019
Actor Roma Downey becomes a Patron.
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2025
We mark 40 years and 23,000 patients and families cared for. Nadine Coyle becomes a Patron.
Together we care
Bronagh Gallagher at Foyle Hospice
Bronagh Gallagher, the Derry~Londonderry singer and actor, has been our Patron since 2013.
Video by Chris Orr. Pressing play loads the video from YouTube. Watch on YouTube or see more on our YouTube channel.
Questions people ask us
Do patients or families pay for Foyle Hospice care?
No. All of our care is free for patients and their families. Local people fund most of it through donations, fundraising, gifts in wills and our shops.
Who can use Foyle Hospice?
We care for people living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, including heart and lung disease, dementia and progressive neurological conditions, and we support their families and carers. Our community teams work across the whole Western Trust area.
How do I get a referral?
Most of our clinical services take referrals from a GP, hospital consultant or palliative care team. You can refer yourself for bereavement support, counselling and Healing Hearts. For advice, call us on (028) 71 351 010.
Is hospice care only for the last days of life?
No. Many people come to us for symptom control, Day Therapy, emotional support or a short stay, and then go home. Hospice care is about helping people live as well as possible, for as long as possible.
Is Foyle Hospice part of the health service?
No. We are an independent local charity, registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC100871). We work closely with GPs, hospitals and the Western Health and Social Care Trust, and part of our funding comes from the Department of Health.
Still have a question? Call us on (028) 71 351 010 or get in touch online.