Go Yellow for Zoe's Place this July!

For over 30 years, we’ve been caring for babies and children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, giving families a place to turn when they need it most.

Our hospices are a home-from-home, where children are encouraged to play, make memories, and find joy, no matter their condition.

We rely on the generosity of the public to keep our doors open. Public support covers 70% of our funding, making sure we can continue providing expert care, comfort, and treasured moments for families facing the toughest times.

Go Yellow is our yearly, flagship fundraising campaign – a chance to Get Up, Go Bright, Go Yellow and raise all important funds while celebrating the work of Zoe’s Place.

Why Go Yellow is so important

Marco's Story - from Mum, Kirsty.

Where to start when trying to tell you about our Marco… he shocked us in every way possible, defying the odds, and making us the proudest parents in the world.

We found out I was pregnant at 23 weeks – a massive shock, and hard to get our heads around. We didn’t have time to plan as by 26 weeks he was here. Marco was the smallest but strongest baby we had ever met, weighing 1lb and 5oz – the same as a bag of sugar.

Marco was keeping a big secret from us and the medical team. By 10 weeks old, we got the diagnosis of Down’s Syndrome – my world felt ripped apart.

Marco stayed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for 90 days. These days were long, and it was so hard leaving him, but we had to go home and spend time with our other two children. Marco became very unwell and had to be intubated and taken to a specialist hospital. An incredibly scary time for us all.

Since he was born, we have been in and out of hospital with lots of infections and collapsed lungs. Marco is on oxygen during the day, and a ventilator at night. He suffers chronic lung disease, and the ventilator helps to keep his airways open. We are under four different hospitals to also support with his feeding, four holes in his heart, and complications with his liver. However, I didn’t realise things were about to change for the better!

We are so thankful we got referred to Zoe’s Place. It allows us to spend time with our four-year-old daughter, who has really struggled. She would sometimes come home, and me and Marco were gone again. This could be for weeks at a time.

Zoe’s respite means we can spend time as a couple – without them, this simply would not be possible. A chance to relax and recharge. I find it so hard to sleep when Marco is at home, in a constant alert with machines always going off.

At Zoe’s, Marco loves the singing and dancing! Making the loudest noises and playing with the musical instruments. Things that all children should be able to enjoy.

Zoe’s gives us the energy to be present when we come back together as a family. Watching Marco play with his big sister is pure magic, something we never thought would happen. Our eyes are wide open and our hearts full of thanks. He brings so much joy and happiness not only to us, but to everyone he meets, with his infectious smile. Marco has completed our family and Zoe’s Place have become a huge part of that.

This year we are aiming to raise £17,000 across our two hospice sites. Everybody can get involved!

Have fun, #GoYellowForZoes and show your support this July 💛