Shooting Star Children’s Hospices have kept me (Britt) and my family sane for 12 years and continue to do so.

 After Zoë was born with complex medical needs and required 24 hr care, we were sent home from hospital when she was 9 weeks with no care package, no support. That good old postcode lottery was not in our favour. I started suffering from PTSD, was really struggling and became suicidal. I asked for help from social services but was told there wasn’t any. Shooting Star came in, rescued us, made us live with them for three months while my medication kicked in, campaigned on our behalf and succeeded in getting us a care package. From that moment on, we have managed to provide Zoë with a wonderful life. They continue to offer residential stays and therapies for Zoë, they continue to support us with ad hoc counselling and the odd massage. The events and experiences they have offered us to attend have been sunshine when there are often clouds. I can now cook a duck Charlotte because of them! They are always there to help hold us up and, if we lose Zoë, they will be there, crying with us and helping us travel the road no one wants to travel. We owe them everything. 

For all that they have done for us, climbing a mountain doesn’t seem such a great thank you but I am not a morning person and in no way fit so this will be very hard! However, I am taking the best person for me to do this with, my co-captain, my sister from another mister, Lisa, aka the Dudette or the Octopus on my Face, depending on my mood. I am fully anticipating some sort of delirium at the top of Mount Snowdon. It will be incredibly entertaining for everyone else. I promise to keep you updated with training and a video from the top.

When I get to the top, I am going to remember Lydia, Joshua, Sebastian, Rohan and all the other children that I have been blessed to know during their short time on this Earth.

Shooting Star Children's Hospices supports babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families across London and Surrey.Whether lives are measured in days, weeks, months or years, we are here to make every moment count. We support families from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care.