Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Helen & Douglas House is a children's hospice which provides care and support to terminally ill babies & children, and their families. They provide respite care, giving children loads of fun so their families can take a much needed break from caring for them, end of life care, and counselling to support families throughout their bereavement. 

Helen & Douglas House holds a very special place in my heart. Nobody in my family has, so far, needed to use their services, but through my job over the last couple of years I've met many families who've worn their heart on their sleeve and talked to me in great detail about the invaluable memories they've made there, and how their last moments with their children as they passed away were so much better for being at Helen & Douglas House. Hearing so many moving stories, no two the same, has been life changing for me - every parent I've met who's suffered (or has the suffering of a bereavement still to come) has taught me how precious life is and also how fragile and unpredictable the future is for us and our families. We never know what's around the corner. 

So far, Helen & Douglas House has been able to provide a safety net for this unpredictability, and families in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties have been safe in the knowledge that, should that day ever come that they must to say goodbye to their child, or need respite from the day to day strain of caring for a child with a life limiting condition or disability, there is world class medical care, emotional support and a seemingly limitless list of practical help available. It would be wonderful if we could guarantee this safety net will always be there...

I've witnessed first hand the lengths staff will go to to bring joy and fulfillment to children and their families (nomatter how big that family may be!) Whether that be letting the family dog come and stay (impossible in a hospital ward), or a family hand-printing session and getting messy with paints and glitter just hours before that child passes away. Helen & Douglas House will provide a safe, comfortable environment to say goodbye to a child after they've died - one Mum even told me that a particular song she asked to have playing on repeat so her daughter was never in a silent room was always, without fail, playing every times she went to visit her baby whilst she made arrangements for her funeral. 

The opportunities families have at Helen & Douglas House to create memories with their children during their short time on this earth make the difference between a child being alive and a child LIVING. The technology, the spa,  playroom,  gardens,  music therapy, the sensory room - all these are activities that families are able to enjoy together, whilst the medical needs of their child are totally taken care of allowing parents to just be 'Mum' and 'Dad'.

The work that goes on behind those big red doors is made possible by charitable donations: it costs around £3 million a year to run the services, and 85% of those running costs come from public donations. Earlier this year Helen & Douglas House was forced to close Douglas House, the provision for young adults - suddenly a service that provided young people with life shortening conditions a  safe space to express themselves, play games, enjoy technology, or a pub quiz night or gig in the hospice bar, can no longer operate because of a major shortfall in funding. This is what has prompted me to take some action - over the last 2 years I've got behind the mic on the radio and urged listeners to part with their cash and to undertake fundraising projects during our JACK fm radiothons, and now its time that I did something myself to try and help keep the doors of Helen & Douglas House open forever. 

In March 2019 I'll be pushing myself physically and mentally to do something I've never done before, trekking through the jungle for 5 days, learning bushcraft skills, walking through thick jungle, and camping in remote village along the way, finishing the trek in an Orangutan reserve, which has been a lifelong dream since I was a child! I've signed up to this challenge on the agreement that i raise £3,700 sponsorship (but if i could raise £4,000 i'd be over the moon), which will all go directly towards the care and support of terminally ill children and their families.

Please support me in whatever way you can, whether this be making a donation, offering fundraising ideas (I've NEVER done anything on this scale before and I'm feeling the pressure of that huge target!) or just some words of advice or encouragement as I train between now and March so I'm physically fit enough to complete this challenge!

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading all my waffle - if you know me you'll know I have a lot to say, especially about Helen & Douglas House! I'm doing this for all the children who's parents were brave enough to let a complete stranger into their home to talk about some of the worst (and best) times of their life - i can't imagine the immeasurable loss of losing a child you've created and loved and the strength of all the parents I've interviewed over the last couple of years has inspired me to do this. Thank-you xx

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.