“It’s a journey we all have to go on”

“Dignity.” A word Anne Freeman-Rahill says with a soft voice. Her strong handshake an indication of decades of shifts in hospital wards. Now she is there to hold patients’ hands and lend help to those who care for them 24/7. A partner, a daughter, a grandchild, or all of them taking turns.

For the past three years, she has been one of Ireland’s night nurses, providing end-of-life care to patients and their families at a time when support is needed most.

Ireland’s Night Nursing service has been supporting families for 40 years. It provides free overnight care - typically between 11pm and 7am - to people at the end of life, most often cancer patients. In 2025 alone, nearly 6,000 nights of care were delivered across the country, funded largely through public donations. Nationwide, around 170 nurses like Anne from Bailieborough deliver this service, allowing patients to remain at home, surrounded by loved ones, in their final days.

When she arrives at a home, her approach is gentle and reassuring. “I go in, and I’ll just say, my name is Anne, I’m a nurse and I’m here for the night, to give your family a bit of sleep if that’s ok.” The response is usually immediate acceptance.

Anne’s presence allows families to rest, even if only for a few hours. And it allows them to step back from the role of caregiver, Anne explains: “It means the families can hand over the care and they can become the daughter, the son, the wife, brother, sister again.”

Caring for a loved one at the end of life is emotionally and physically exhausting. Sometimes this can lead to quarrels among family members. Anne tries to calm them and put things into perspective: “It’s a difficult journey, but it’s one we all have to go on.”

Each family, each home, is different. Some want to sit together through the night. Others need space. “I would encourage them to sit with them, you know, if they want to. And I can sit with them as well. And if they want a little bit of personal space, I can move to another room… anything goes.”

The work is intense and often brief. “Because generally when we come in, we’re at the very end of life. So you might be looking at three, four days at the most.” In a typical month, she may care for five or six patients, sometimes for just a single night.

Despite the emotional weight, Anne has a grounded perspective on death. “We can’t spend our life worrying what will be.” She believes conversations about death and palliative care should happen earlier. “It’s kind of a thing that’s shoved under the carpet at times. I would be an advocate for bringing in palliative care very early because they have wonderful support.”

Privilege

While some might find it morbid, for her the job is a privilege: “I love my job. It’s one to one with the patient, you give them all your attention. Some want to hold your hand, others want to chat. It’s a privilege to be there with them.”

She also emphasises honesty, especially with children. “I always say, be honest. As young as three, they know something’s going on with the patient. Keep it simple, but don’t lie, and be open to questions.”

Anne’s work takes her within an hour's radius across counties Louth, Monaghan, Westmeath, Longford and Cavan. Each journey brings her into another home, another final chapter.

For families who have experienced the service, the impact is profound. Hayley Forde from Westmeath, remembers the care Anne gave her father, Jimmy.

“We’re really blessed that we got the Night Nurse because all my dad wanted was to be at home, so thankfully, we got to keep him home.”

The toll on the family before that support arrived had been immense. “Our family was sleep deprived since Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. But with the support of our Night Nurse, Anne, we all could sleep; we were at ease knowing that he was in really good hands. We didn’t realise how much guidance and care he needed and we needed.”

Both hands

As Hayley points out, the final stages can be overwhelming. “It’s a lot of work, especially towards the end, you need hospice care because of medication and everything. I’d say to families: if you’re being advised to link in with palliative care services, take it with both hands.”

There is also comfort in having someone neutral in the room, Anne believes.

“Especially when there is only one family member looking after the person, they are relieved to receive guidance and can gain confidence that what they are doing is the right thing for the patient.”

To her, giving the patient comfort and dignified peace is the most valuable gift families can give.

“Let the grandchildren sit on the bed, have a chat, family members can say their goodbyes in the comfort of their own home.”

This year, the Irish Cancer Society celebrates almost 200,000 Nights of Nursing provided to cancer patients in Ireland over the past 40 Years.

Anyone who would like to avail of the service can reach out to the healthcare professional looking after their loved one, call the support freephone 1800 200 700 or contact the nearest Daffodil Centre.