Christmas has to be extra special with our kids... It could be their last
had a fantastic Christmas. Then, in January, she ended up in hospital for five or six weeks with pneumococcal meningitis and was very ill.
“You never know what’s around the corner.”
For the last 18 months, the family have had additional support thanks to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, which meant there was even more comfort and joy last Christmas after spending time at CHAS’s Rachel House in Kinross.
Charlotte said: “At Rachel House, Christmas begins on
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland ( CHAS) make a huge difference to children with life- shortening conditions and their families.
Through their hospices, home care services and hospital presence, they provided palliative care, family respite and support.
They want to be there for every single family December 1, so whenever you go there during the month, it’s already Christmas.
“We stayed there for the first week in December last year and the tree was up and there were lots of festive activities.
“We also had a trip to the Edinburgh Christmas market, which the children loved. Rachel House is a lovely place at any time of the year but at Christmas it’s always that extra bit special.”
Rachel House is described as a ‘ home from home’ for families, with a range of facilities, including a
who need them but need your help to reach more children across the country.
To provide the care and support to families who need them, it costs CHAS nearly £ 400,000 each month in addition to their government funding.
The cost to CHAS for one day’s care in Robin House and Rachel House — their hospices in hydrotherapy room, large accessible garden and lots of areas for relaxing and fun.
Charlotte added: “It’s a really nice place — it’s fun and not depressing at all.
“There are lots of things for the kids to get involved with.
“They have outdoor play equipment, including a wheelchair- accessible swing, which Iona loves.
“Taking a child to a play park is something other people take for granted, but it’s not something we can do.
“However, when we go to Rachel House, the children can
Balloch, Dunbartonshire, and Kinross — is £ 5650. Both act as a home from home for families, offering respite, relaxation and support all year round.
The charity are urging the people of Scotland to donate so they can continue to provide this invaluable service.
There are many ways in which readers can just do normal things because everything is adapted.
“We’ve also met a few families there and it’s nice because everyone is in the same boat. Everyone just sort of gets it.”
Rachel House and the CHAS at Home service — which provides care between hospice visits for families who live in isolated areas — have both been a lifeline for Charlotte and husband Dave, 37, who works for an oil company.
Charlotte added: “If you’ve got a child with a condition, you can’t just find a local babysitter for the night.
“Even trying to find carers can be difficult when you’ve got a complex needs child.
“CHAS have been amazing — we know we can trust them and that the kids will be fine. If there are any problems, they’ll phone us.
“The staff take over all of the children’s medical care, so Dave and I get to do normal parenting things.
“We can go out for a meal or go to the cinema and just spend some time together, just the two of us.
“When we went to Rachel House last year, it was the first time I didn’t have to get up in the night for the children.
“It was very strange having a full night’s sleep. CHAS allows us to recharge our batteries.”
I’m lucky to have committed people around me who help ensure the event is a success. I couldn’t do it without them
support CHAS this Christmas and help struggling families in your area.
You could shake a bucket in your community, host a Christmas quiz at your workplace or organise a bake sale at your children’s school or nursery.
Or visit www. chas. org. uk/ donate to make a donation.