A special new addition to the Palliative Care Unit at Dubbo Health Service is helping families remain close during some of life’s most difficult moments, with staff hoping the initiative will bring comfort, dignity and connection to patients nearing the end of life.

Natasha Davis, Nurse Unit Manager of Walanmarra, and Jade O’Brien, Western NSW Local Health District Health Service Manager of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD), have worked together to create a more compassionate and supportive environment for patients and their loved ones at the Dubbo facility.

Thanks to a generous donation and fundraising from the Belinda McGowan Foundation, the unit has received a specialised “cuddle bed” valued at approximately $20,000 – the first and only one of its kind in Dubbo.

The innovative bed allows loved ones to safely lie beside or gently hold a patient during their final days, creating opportunities for meaningful touch, closeness and connection in a clinical setting.

“Unfortunately dying will occur, but the environment can be shaped to help patients and families remain physically close and connected,” Ms Davis said.

“The cuddle bed helps create an atmosphere of comfort, compassion and support as families spend precious time together.”

The Palliative Care Unit at Walanmarra (Lourdes Hospital) has five palliative care beds that are generally at full capacity. Patients are cared for by specialised palliative care doctors and nurses dedicated to supporting people with complex end-of-life needs.

The Belinda McGowan Foundation has made a significant impact across rural, remote and regional Australia by supplying Australian-made cuddle beds to hospitals and aged care facilities, transforming the end-of-life experience for countless families. Established in honour of Flight Lieutenant Belinda McGowan, the foundation’s mission is to provide comfort and closeness during life’s most challenging moments.

Foundation representatives say each cuddle bed symbolises dignity, compassion and emotional support.

The Dubbo donation also carries deep personal significance for the foundation, with Belinda McGowan’s mother receiving care through the VAD program in Wellington NSW in 2024 while living with Motor Neurone Disease.

The experience reinforced the foundation’s commitment to supporting compassionate, person-centred end-of-life care and helping families remain close during incredibly difficult moments.

“Every cuddle bed we provide is a step towards transforming end-of-life care,” a spokesperson said.

“By facilitating physical closeness, these beds enhance emotional wellbeing and help ensure final moments are filled with comfort, dignity and love.”

The specially designed cuddle bed features two independent mattresses, including an Air Acute 8-turn mattress for pressure relief, and a premier acute foam mattress. The bed can extend for taller patients and separate into two independent bariatric beds when required, offering flexibility for staff and patients.

The cuddle bed also aligns with broader conversations around compassionate end-of-life care in Australia. The 2026 Go Gentle Australia State of VAD Report found growing numbers of terminally ill Australians are choosing VAD as part of person-centred end-of-life care.

Since VAD laws were introduced in Victoria in 2019 and subsequently across most of Australia, more than 7,200 terminally ill Australians have sought access to VAD, with more than 3,200 deaths recorded nationwide.

Adding a further personal touch to the project, members of Kintyre Quilters have generously donated their time and materials to create a handmade quilt for the cuddle bed. The quilt aims to soften the clinical environment and create a warmer, more homelike space where patients and families can feel comforted and cared for.

Donations from businesses to make the room more homely are welcomed.

For staff at Walanmarra, the cuddle bed is about more than equipment – it is about preserving human connection, compassion and dignity when families need it most.

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If this story has raised concerns for you, or you need help, the following organisations may be able to assist:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

Beyond Blue Call a Counsellor – 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au

Mental Health Line 1800 011 511

MensLine, mensline.org.au 1300 78 99 78

13YARN – 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au

NALAG – 6882 9222 or nalag.org.au (not a crisis centre)