I have joined #TeamShootingStar's intergalactic squadron to earn stars and raise vital funds for children with life-limiting conditions and their families as part of the third mission of the Shooting Star Space Race. 

Our family have been supported by Shooting Star Children's Hospices for a number of years now, due to the complexity of Leia's needs - Leia has a rare chromosome disorder called Pallister-Killian Syndrome, which has meant that she is non verbal, completely tube fed, a full time wheelchair user, vision and hearing impairments and also epilepsy. Shooting Star offer us a place for Leia to go so that we can take a break from our caring roles, knowing that she is in safe hands with the nursing and care teams. She always has a whale of a time, using the hydrotherapy pool, music room, watching films, day trips, visits from the therapy dog, arts and crafts - the list is endless! We always have the option to go and stay too, but Leia enjoys her time away - it's not cool for mum and dad to be hanging around with you when you're 12! The hospice is so vital for families like ours, so we can continue doing what we do for Leia day to day, so it's time for us to give something back which is why we're taking part in the Shooting Star Space Race! 

Shooting Star Children's Hospices are a leading childrens hospice charity caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. They support families across Surrey and London from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional and medical care. It costs £10.1 million a year to maintain our current level of care and just 20% of that income comes from government funding, so they rely on the generosity of supporters like you to keep the service running.