The Sick Children's Trust
We are delighted to be part of National Family Week as supporting families is key to what our charity is all about. We work on a daily basis to make a real difference to the lives of sick children and their families and understand the value of families spending time together. This is such a wonderful idea and we are thrilled to come onboard as a partner.
Claudette Watson, CEO
Website: www.sickchildrenstrust.org
There is a no more worrying or distressing time for a parent than when a child is ill and they are miles away from them. Equally, for the child, a hospital can be a lonely and frightening place. What families need during these times is support, and that's why The Sick Children's Trust has it's 'Homes from Home', so that parents can be by their child, holding their hand through their illness.
As families must increasingly travel long distances to get the specialist treatment their children need, our aim is to help aid the recovery of seriously ill children and support the well-being of the family so that they can be close to their loved ones.
Our ‘Homes from Home’ are a place where families can take a step back from their situation and feel safe and relaxed in a welcoming and warm environment. Here they can gather their thoughts and face the day or night ahead of them without having to worry about the smaller things in life, staying together as a close knit family unit.
All our houses have private family bedrooms so family members can get a good night’s sleep and communal living and kitchen areas so that families can have some stability of normal family life; sharing a family meal or watching a favourite DVD. Families also gain comfort from sharing their concerns with other families with similar worries. A house manager is also on hand to offer both practical support and a shoulder to cry on.
Many of the families whom we have helped let us know the benefit they get from being around other families in the same situation, swapping stories over a cup of tea, drawing strength from each other and realising that they are not alone. Dominic, who stayed at our Acorn House said:
“The house offered us a stress-free environment during a very difficult time for my family. We could cook, eat and just generally relax – it helped us keep our family unit together. It also meant my seven year old son, David and our new baby, William, could stay with us, which brought my wife and me immense comfort. I baked millionaire’s shortbread with David and cooked healthy meals for my family, rather than relying on takeouts from the hospital canteen. Sometimes even, whilst we were watching DVDs, my young son would play with another young child who was staying in the house.”
We run seven, free, high-quality ‘Homes from Home’ accommodation for families whose children are seriously ill in hospital. We have houses in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge and three in London and over the years we have provided more than 35,000 family stays. It costs us just £26 to host a family for one night.
We see the importance of family time on a daily basis so are happy to support National Family Week.
