Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Growing up, I lived in Bristol with my mum, dad and big brother. If I stop there, this sounds just like any other normal childhood. 

‘I have a brother called Nicholas’, I would tell the other children in my class at school. ‘He can’t walk, talk, sit or stand’, I would say. This was the simplistic, child-like way in which I would articulate my brother’s condition. 

Nicholas was born with a unique, life-limiting condition which saw countless hospital visits, many of which were spent in intensive care. I had learnt to help feed him via a gastrostomy tube by the age of 3 (as seen in the cover photo). By the age of 8, I could read oxygen saturation monitors too.

To me, however, this was normal. Nicholas was born in April 1995, three years before me. This was the life I had always known. Most of the time, I did not even acknowledge that he had a medical condition. He was just my big brother. His life was not defined by those hospital visits. My fondest memories of Nicholas are the picnics we went on as a family, watching The Simpsons together daily and hearing his hearty laugh ripple through our home. His endlessly cheerful nature through his toughest battles make my brother the most inspirational person that I have ever known.

Words cannot describe how much my family is grateful for the support of Little Bridge House. Not only did they provide us with respite care throughout Nicholas’ life, but also a shoulder to lean on. Their sibling service was of immeasurable help to me. I met other brothers and sisters in my situation and I was able to talk freely about Nicholas without having to explain anything. Everyone there already understood. 

Nicholas passed away on 26th March 2010, aged 14.

Losing a sibling at a young age can be an isolating experience. Most other children my age had not encountered the concept of death before, let alone that of a brother or sister. This is why supporting siblings, particularly those who have been bereaved, through Children’s Hospice South West is so incredibly important to me. 

Part of my inspiration for fundraising for CHSW is to continue my dad's legacy. He had raised over £20,000 for CHSW by the time he passed away in May 2016. 

Please help us support this great work, and to celebrate CHSW’s 30th anniversary, by sponsoring us when we dress up as The Simpsons (Nicholas’ favourite TV show) and go sightseeing around some famous landmarks in London! 

Provisional date for this event is 30th May, 2021 subject to national COVID restrictions.