ProjectFeature
because they have more important
Having Joy
things on their minds – like getting
home……or on the down side, a
in Your Life
funeral to arrange.
“So I clean and tidy the rooms
one by one and leave the room
with a folder on the bed which
A day in the life of Joy includes details about The Sick
Worship, House Manager at
Children’s Trust, Acorn House and
Acorn house, Addenbrooke’s
any other useful information
Hospital, Cambridge
someone may need while staying
with us. The rooms are ready to go,
Acorn House is The Sick Children’s but there is still the dirty laundry
Trusts “Home from Home” situated and ironing to be done…
in the grounds of Addenbrooke’s “Back in the office I complete all
Hospital. Since Acorn House was necessary paperwork on the two PICU and afterwards I walk with
opened in 2000, it has helped families who have left this morning them to Acorn House. They are
many families stay together when and record any donations they may amazed that such a place exists and
they have a seriously or terminally ill have left. a sense of relief at not having to
child undergoing treatment at the “I then head off to the hospital worry about a place to stay tonight
hospital. The home has 15 wards for my daily hospital rounds, brings on a few tears. They are so
bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a it’s important to keep up to speed grateful that they can be near their
communal kitchen, playroom and a with changes to patient care and to grandson, especially given the
large living area. allowing more inform them of room availability. circumstances.
than 750 families to be Intensive care is my first priority and “Back in my office I fight back the
accommodated every year. I’m informed of a new patient tears; knowing what this family is
Spoon Cambridgeshire recently coming from Norfolk & Norwich going through puts life into
provided a donation to help Hospital. It’s a little boy aged 5 perspective. Our ‘Homes from
refurbish the premises to ensure the who, along with his parents, has hug. It’s hard to imagine just how Home’ really do make a difference
facilities are as welcoming, clean been involved in a road traffic much our ‘Homes from Home’ to the families whose children are
and comfortable as possible accident. N&N don’t have the means to families in their hour of seriously ill in hospital, but it never
making the terrible ordeal families facilities to treat him, so although need, but their faces say it all gets any easier to see a family in
face just a little easier. his parents are being treated there, clearly to me. As it’s time for such emotional turmoil.
the little boy is being transferred to doctors rounds, I tell them I will “A quick cup if tea to help gather
Joy Worship is the Manager of Addenbrooke’s. The Sister in charge come back later and walk them to my own emotions while I carry on
Acorn House and provides an tells me that his grandparents will Acorn House. with more paper work in the office.
insight into a typical working day at be coming to be with him, but that “After a quick lunch I go back to “In the afternoon I head back
the Home from home. his condition is not looking good. the hospital wards as I am involved over to the Oncology ward to meet
“I walk into Acorn House to find a It’s going to be a very traumatic with the daily meetings on PICU the family I saw earlier. They are still
family writing in our visitor’s book... time for the grandparents, all I can (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). very emotional, the prognosis still
‘A big thank you for this haven do is be there for them and These daily meetings are held so very raw – and when they get to
away from the hospital hopefully a private room in Acorn senior clinical staff and consultants Acorn House they are
environment – it’s beautiful. Being House will take some of the can get a full picture of the overwhelmed. They are so amazed
able to be so close to our son at pressure off them…my heart goes changing needs and requirements by the facilities we offer and are
this very difficult time made it so out to them already. of each child’s care and learn the stunned when I explain that they
much easier to bear – much love to “We still have one bedroom free, daily progress of each patient. We can have their room free of charge
you all and keep up the good so I head to the other wards to see also discuss any other relevant for as long as they need it, what’s
work’ if there are any families in need of details such as press more, their other children can come
“They have just been told that support. On the oncology ward a involvement/police/nature of to stay as well. Mum is so
after four long weeks they can go two year old little girl from illness/injury and obviously the appreciative and I can see that our
home – mum was very emotional, Peterborough has just been expected outcome. Today I learn support couldn’t have come at a
a big hug and a few tears are diagnosed with cancer and that the little five year old boy who better time.
shared between us. I’ve not even understandably her family are not came from N&N Hospital will “After showing the family to their
opened my office door yet and coping with the news. It’s a lot for probably not survive more than 24 room, it’s time for me to go home
tears already - but at least these any parent to take on and digest, hours – this news sends shivers to my own family – happy in the
were tears of joy which sadly isn’t and at times like these it’s down my spine and a lump to my knowledge that Acorn House is
always the case. important that mum and dad have throat, and once again my heart helping as many families as it can
“I check to see if anyone else has a private space to gather their goes out to his poor grandparents. to stay together when their world is
gone…one other family have been emotions. When I meet the family I “After the meeting I find the falling apart.“
discharged overnight, so 13 rooms can see they are very distressed, so I grandparents who are in a really
full and two to clean and fill with explain who I am and where I’m bad way. They have just arrived at Thank you to Joy for sharing her
families. I do a quick ring round to from and that I have somewhere Addenbrooke’s and have been told day with Spoon. For more details
the wards and advise them we for them to all stay together as a the news. This is the hardest part of on Acorn House the the Sick
have two rooms free. I then quickly family. From the look on their faces my job because I am often the first Children’s Trust, please visit
check and respond to any urgent you’d have thought they had just person family members see after www.sickchildrenstrust.org
emails. won the lottery, rather than been receiving bad news, and nothing I
“We ask families to strip the beds given a bedroom in Acorn House - say or do could possibly comfort
Above: Joy Worship with the Spoon
before they leave, but to be honest their thanks are immense, mum them at this time. I make them a
Committee and girls from St John’s
College at the unveiling of the
more often than not they don’t bursts into tears and gives me a cup of tea in the private room on refurbished Acorn House.
Spoonews Winter 2009 27
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40