I'm trekking the Sahara Desert for Derian House!

My daughter, Charlotte was born in 2017 with half a working heart, we knew from the 20 week scan that she would have a fight on her hands, and our lives would never be the same.

When it became clear that surgery wasn't possible for Charlotte, we chose to spend the last days of her short life at Derian House. we were shattered by the news, and afraid of what was to come.

The true impact of what Derian House do every day is immeasurable - they know what you need before you do.

Alongside the nursing care and support to manage palliative medications to help Charlotte, they created a space for our family, friends + relatives who travelled from across the country to be together with her. We stopped thinking about dying, because they got us busy living. They helped us to create memories, and to get Charlotte christened. When she passed away, they supported us to register her birth, and death. Charlotte stayed in a beautiful Sunflower Room until her funeral, so we could be with her throughout.

Derian provide family support for siblings, parents and grandparents. They put on events like the Forget Me Not service, and Lights of Love Christmas service, which have become key dates for us to thank them, and celebrate Charlotte's memory. The Dad's group has introduced me to new friends who share and understand living with bereavement. Its a sanctuary with smiles, and not sad by default - just like Derian House.

There are so many reasons why I love Derian House, so many imaginative, little things they do that mean so much. I can never do enough for this place.

This time next year I’ll be heading towards a number of 10th anniversaries - my baby’s birth, her passing, the funeral. I miss Charlotte every day, imagining how a life lost might have been lived. I'm going to trek 50k across the mighty Saharan dunes for my girl.

It will also be 10 years of gratitude for the wonderful work, staff and volunteers at Derian House. A decision we made in the darkest moments of our lives has helped us ever since. I'm doing this trek so that other families can receive a priceless slice of care, humanity and love.

Derian House Children's Hospice provides end of life care and respite to children and young adults across the entirety of Lancashire, the North of Manchester and the South of Cumbria. To do so it will cost them £6m in 2026, with only 30% of that coming from statutory funding.

Want to join me? For more information or to get involved head over to the event page on our website here,

https://www.derianhouse.co.uk/events/saharadeserttrek/