and more fulfilled while they are with them, however long or short that may be. Despite the common perception, a children’s hospice is much more about life than it is about death – and any visitors will find fun, noise and laughter in a building which is designed to feel like a large, welcoming house.
upports children with life limiting conditions and their families. The charity began more than 12 years ago as a result of the challenges of a local mum whose son, Russell, became very ill and needed hospice care. She was concerned at the lack of local support and set about changing this.
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12 years on The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is now a reality. In October 2010 the charity began supporting children and families through its hospice at home service. To date they have received more than 50 referrals, and they are already helping almost 40 children and their families, with more coming to them every week. In October 2011 the hospice build was completed. Already the hospice is being used for family events, but more work is needed before they can begin to deliver a full service.
The care provided by a children’s hospice is quite unique. All of the children we help will have conditions which will, sadly, significantly shorten their lives. However they may support children and their families for many years, possibly until the child is a teenager or even a young adult.
They know that even when a child has a life limiting condition they still have the same needs as all children – the need to play, to communicate, to experience new things, to learn, and to reach their full potential, whatever that may be for them. Their focus is to do everything they can to make children happier
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As well as helping the child they also provide support for the whole family. Caring for a child with a life limiting condition places immense strain on parents, siblings, grandparents and other family members. They give parents a break, and help them become parents instead of full time carers. They give support and attention to siblings who are dealing with all the issues of having a brother or sister who gets all the attention, but who also won’t always be with them. They support families through bereavement counselling, relationship guidance, and general emotional support while they are caring for their child and often for years afterwards.
There is no charge for the care and support they bring to children and families. Less than 4% of our funding comes from government sources they must work hard to raise funds to enable them to care for those who need them. As they open the hospice and continue their Hospice at Home service they must increase their income from £1million per annum last year, to £2.5 million per annum over the next 18 months.
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice Russell House, Fell Greave Road, Huddersfield, HD2 1NH.
Tel: 01484 411 040 E:
contact@forgetmenotchild.co.uk www.forgetmenotchild.co.uk
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