There’s a common misconception about children’s hospices – that they’re sad places, synonymous with tragedy and death and only provide care at the end of life.
One children’s hospice is working hard to bust this myth and many other widespread inaccuracies.
Acorns Children’s Hospice Chief Executive Trevor Johnson explains why moving away from these widely held perceptions is key to reaching even more children and families in need.
“There’s a thing in the hospice sector we like to call ‘hospice face’; that recognisable head tilt and sorrowful expression you get when you tell people where you work,” Trevor says.
“It’s understandable. If you’ve never visited a children’s hospice, it’s easy to think they’re sad places where children only go to die. But it couldn’t be further from the truth.
“At Acorns, our hospices are bright, homely and full of life and laughter. Our dedicated care teams make it a priority to create a lifetime of memories for children visiting Acorns, regardless of how long or short their lives may be.”
Acorns Children’s Hospice is the West Midlands’ only children’s hospice, caring for over 750 children and young people across the region and supporting around 1,000 families every year.
The charity’s three hospices, based in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, are joyful sanctuaries for children with life limiting or life threatening conditions and their families.
It’s at diagnosis when a family’s journey at Acorns begins – another crucial point Trevor is keen to emphasise. The charity’s specially trained family practitioners and highly-skilled nursing teams are there right from the start, helping families cope at every stage of their child’s life, and beyond.
“We have a responsibility to give families a full, accurate picture of what children’s palliative care really means; lifelong, supportive care over time,” Trevor says. “So, families know that, regardless of whether or not their child is receiving treatment, Acorns is a place for them. The level of support they want is completely up to them.
“We can be an extra person in their corner, who’s there to prioritise their needs. We can be someone who can be there at the end of the phone whenever needed to answer those important questions and offer a listening ear. Or Acorns can give parents and carers the time and space they need to recharge their batteries and keep going.”
This vital care and support isn’t just offered at Acorns hospices. The charity spends £350,000 every year taking its children’s hospice care into family homes and the local community.
Trevor explains: “At Acorns, we recognise that for many families visiting our hospices just isn’t possible. Our Outreach service gives families greater choice on how and where they want our help.
When the unimaginable does happen and a family has to say goodbye to their child, Acorns is there to help them make those heartbreaking decisions.
Acorns gives families the power of choice when their child dies, enabling them to say goodbye where they feel most comfortable, at their own pace and in their own way. From memory making, to helping families fill their child’s final days with love and meaningful moments, to the hospice’s special temperate-controlled bedrooms, which enable families to hold their child a little while longer after they’ve died.”
Trevor says: “While many of the children we care for have lots of living to do, sadly some of them will need end of life care. Having honest and open conversations early on means we can give families the care and support they need and, most importantly, want.”
Acorns hopes that greater transparency will help change attitudes, leading to earlier referrals and support for even more families.
But as the need for Acorns care continues to grow, so does the cost of providing these vital services. Acorns needs the support of the local community now more than ever.
“No family should ever have to care for a life limited or life threatened child alone,” Trevor says. “Help can’t wait for families who desperately need us. For them Acorns is more than a hospice, it’s a lifeline, a service that doesn’t exist anywhere else. But we can only continue our children’s hospice care with the public’s support.
“As a charity, we need to raise £30,000 every day to keep our services running. Two-thirds of this amount comes from generous donations and fundraising. Without Acorns, many families would be facing this frightening journey completely alone.”
Children and families in your local community need Acorns more than ever. Help Acorns be there for them. Donate today by visiting www.acorns.org.uk/HelpCantWait
