Greer Charlotte Rushforth

15 July 2019 - 11 February 2023

Greer was born with a rare neurological condition called Miller Dieker Syndrome. Miller Dieker Syndrome was her primary diagnosis and it affected every part of her life. The first almost-year of Greer's life was filled with hospital admissions and illnesses; this caused a lot of disruption and upset to family life, especially for Greer's twin brother, Tavish.

The Covid-19 pandemic was in many ways a blessing for our family as we shielded to protect our beloved Greer, who was severely immune compromised, from the virus. It was extremely difficult to learn to be parents to twins, let alone parents to a severely disabled neuro-diverse child without any support during a global pandemic.

We knew from around that time onward that we didn't want all of Greer's memories to be of the inside of a hospital room. We needed to find a way to give her a quality of life she wasn't experiencing being shuttled back and forth between the Royal Hospital for Children and home. Dr Jonny Downie and the Paediatric Palliative Care team, especially our wonderful nurse, Elizabeth Anne Kelly, came into our lives and moved mountains to support us in our wishes in giving Greer a quality of life.

Stuart surprised us with a caravan and we spent as much time as we could traveling around Scotland and the UK. Greer loved the sound of the rain on the caravan roof, and the sunshine on her face while playing in the awning. We went to beaches, islands, forests, and saw some of the most beautiful landscapes. We went on amazing walks and spent so much time as a family where Greer was happiest: outdoors.

Dr Downie referred us to Robin House Hospice (Children's Hospices Across Scotland) and because of the pandemic much of the support we received from them was through CHAS at home. We grew to know, trust, and love the nurses and play workers who came into our home to offer respite and to help look after our children. We are forever grateful to the CHAS staff - both from home visits and later, after COVID, our cherished memories of visiting Robin House as a family.

Three children die each week in Scotland from an incurable condition. Across Scotland there are over 16,700 babies, children and young people living with life limiting and terminal conditions. That's over 16,000 families like ours who are trudging through their day-to-day with the weight of anticipatory grief on their shoulders, and responsibilities that span far beyond those of a typical parent-child relationship. That's tens of thousands of siblings who are living with a terminally ill sibling, and all that entails.

To honour Greer's memory and the incredible work of CHAS and the Paediatric Palliative Care team at the Children's Hospital we ask for donations in lieu of flowers or gifts. We will collect donations and equally divide amongst both charities.