Grand News by The Grand Appeal

Grand News Doing more for sick kids

Phoebe

Supporting

Welcome

Anna Shepherd, Deputy Director, The Grand Appeal and Cots for Tots.

How times can change in a blink of an eye. We started to prepare this update earlier this year, before our now invisible enemy even had a name, coronavirus. While we’ve all been catapulted into unknown territory, and are adjusting to a new ‘normal’, we did not want to lose this opportunity to show you just how much your support means – not just to us, but to the one million babies, children and young adults who sit within the area that Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Michael’s Hospital cover. The hospital and NICU are very special places. Every day, countless NHS heroes come together to care for hundreds of young patients. They have access to the best facilities and the families find themselves embraced by a network of support services. That level of all-encompassing care is only possible thanks to people like you – who share our vision to ensure that the children and their families don’t just survive; they thrive. We had an incredibly promising year planned, and in the flick of a switch, events were cancelled, and our forecast income plummeted. Yet, the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest challenge our NHS has faced in our living memory. As we feel the devastating impact on our income, the need for our services has grown exponentially. Every day we are reminded of the patients and families who are facing the toughest challenges of their lives. We are more determined than ever to support our NHS heroes and the children they are fighting for. Now, your support is more vital than ever before. Thank you, does not seem a big enough word to convey just how grateful we are for all that you do. But in reading this newsletter, I hope you will see just how life-changing your support can be. Here’s to overcoming this pandemic together and working together to give seriously ill children and their families the bright future they deserve.

Anna

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

RESPONSIBLE FOR

10,000 SQUARE MILES

1 MILLION CHILDREN

1,800 15 9 THEATRES STAFF

WARDS

OPERATING

A PLACE TO STAY Finding yourself far from home and loved ones, with a critically ill child to support, can be incredibly stressful. Our three family accommodation houses are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are just a stone’s throw away from Bristol Children’s Hospital and NICU. Thanks to you, we can give families of seriously ill young patients a free, comfortable and supportive place to call their own, when they need it most.

Having a room at Cots for Tots House meant the world to us too. Everyone was so welcoming, and it truly felt like a home from home.

Carly, Noah’s mum

Cots for Tots House Cots for Tots House gives parents and siblings a free, private and comforting space of their own for as long as they need. Over 1,300 families have called this house their home since it opened in 2012, with our longest resident staying for 11 months. Close enough to be by their little one in just minutes, Cots for Tots House offers precious peace of mind to parents going through one of the toughest times of their lives.

Paul’s House Since it opened two years’ ago, we’ve welcomed 400 families of seriously ill children at Bristol Children’s Hospital to Paul’s House. Like Cots for Tots House, Paul’s House gives parents precious peace of mind, allowing parents to focus fully on their child, but also giving them the space to step away from the clinical environment of the hospital.

Parent beds It doesn’t matter how old you are: when fighting a serious illness or recovering from a major injury, you get your strength from the support of your loved ones. This is especially the case for babies, children and young adults. That’s why we updated every single parent bed in the hospital, 135 in total, so mums or dads can stay at their child’s side throughout their treatment.

It’s so hard to describe the emotion I felt whilst in Paul’s House. Knowing that strangers cared enough about me and my family, and others in similar, dreadful situations, made me feel so cared for and protected at such a scary time.

Rachel, Ioan’s mum

Ioan

Rio

Grand Appeal House Every single day, I meet people from all over the country and from all walks of life. When they step into their room, knowing it’s theirs, it’s free, and it’s so close to their child, you can visibly see the burden lift from their shoulders. Your support means so much to these families.

Anne, House Manager

Opening just in time for Christmas and with nine en-suite rooms, Grand Appeal House takes the total number of rooms we provide to 29. Home to parents of critically ill children in both NICU and Bristol Children’s Hospital, it gives families the space to sleep, eat and recharge, but is close enough to both NICU and the hospital to minimise separation anxiety.

Previously, I would spend hours of my shift each day trying to find accommodation for families who find themselves hundreds of miles from home, in an unimaginable situation. Now, I can concentrate all of my time and energy into helping my patients get better, safe in the knowledge that they will have a room to stay at Paul’s House, for as long as needed.

Lottie King, Sister, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

A HELPING HAND Financial pressures, childcare worries and time off work, coupled with the emotional burden of supporting a sick child, can leave families isolated and lost. Thanks to you, we try to make sure that no parent, sibling or carer is left feeling alone.

Family Support Programme

Family Support Practitioner Katie

Our specialist Family Support Practitioners help mums, dads, siblings and grandparents navigate the stresses that come with having a child in hospital. Whether those stresses are psychological, financial, or parents simply need a shoulder to cry on, our programme reaches around 50 families every month. They’re trained social workers too, and can help families with complex behavioural, safeguarding and substance-abuse issues.

The bereavement team are the most wonderful people that you would never want to meet, and without them I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through the first year without Lance.

Caroline, Lance’s mum

Palliative Care & Bereavement Support Sometimes babies and children are extremely sick, and whether it’s sudden or from a life-limiting illness they’ve had since birth, they pass away. We work in partnership with the Palliative Care & Bereavement Support team to create safe spaces, such as the Family Cafés and afternoons of remembrance, for bereaved families to come together, speak openly and reflect on their loss. We are currently looking at plans for a dedicated and private bereavement space in the hospital, to accompany our Rainbow Room, and will continue to support this vital team as they help parents process their grief.

Ward films Coming to hospital, especially when you are young, can be a scary experience. Our new orientation films, for the Lighthouse, Starlight and Apollo 35 wards, feature past and present patients to show new residents how they work from a young person’s perspective.

Noah

Leah

There is no way, even as a member of staff, that I can explain the importance of these rooms, nor of their impact. To be able to somehow give a little comfort and show parents of critically ill children that we really care for them, as a family and not just their child, means everything to us.

Helene Craddock, Sister on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

PICU family & quiet rooms It’s vital that families of children on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) can step out of the clinical environment and have somewhere to relax and be together as they would at home, rather than around a bed on the intensive care unit. That’s why we refurbished the family room and quiet room, so parents can sit and recharge over a cup of tea, watch some TV, or let siblings play. It’s also somewhere they can mix with other families who know just what it’s like to have a critically ill child.

A PIONEERING WAY FORWARD By harnessing our pioneering technology, expert staff can take part in, and lead on, ground-breaking clinical trials. Thanks to you, Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s NICU remain at the forefront of paediatric healthcare, giving children the best possible chance in life.

Specialist orthopaedic surgery As a Major Trauma Centre for the South West, if any of the region’s one million children are involved in a serious accident, they are rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital for life-saving surgery. New fixation equipment will mean that young patients with traumatic pelvic fractures now face much better outcomes after surgery and intensive rehabilitation.

Intensive care monitoring equipment Technology is always evolving, which is why we have purchased two of the latest models of critical monitoring equipment for PICU. An Oscillator enables high-frequency ventilation for critically ill babies and children with lung damage, while an advanced ECG machine monitors the hearts of the 400 young patients who have major heart surgery at the hospital every year.

Healthy eating research Our study ‘What do families know about healthy eating and physical activity? A lesson from Wallace & Gromit’ looks at the results of a healthy eating quiz which over 5,000 trail visitors took part in during Gromit Unleashed 2. Providing valuable insights into the public’s knowledge of nutrition, this study will be published shortly in the British Medical Journal.

A CHILD-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT Thanks to your incredible support, we can take a holistic approach to care that places wellbeing at the centre of our work. Whether it’s in the bright, welcoming artwork that adorns the walls, the arts, music and play programmes that fill the hospital wards and Activities Centre all year-round, or the staff, family and patient comforts, you make hospital a happier place to be.

Involving patients When we begin a new hospital project, we turn to the people who know it best: the patients. Made up of passionate young people who want to effect change, our Youth Involvement Group – run by youth worker Sara – plays a key part in any development in the hospital.

Music Therapists Whether they’re banging a drum, strumming the guitar or playing the flute, our fantastic music therapists Claire and Karen bring smiles to over 30 children each week with their group and solo sessions across the wards of the hospital and NICU. Music is a vital outlet for children to process difficult emotions, and to encourage bonding between families.

Keira

Arts Unleashed Run by our Arts Coordinator Lynne, our music, arts and play programme ‘Arts Unleashed’ was introduced last year, to bring together the creative activities we provide. In just six months, ‘Arts Unleashed’ reached 2,992 patients through 166 sessions, which included collaborative painting, drumming classes, inclusive dance sessions, and shows from touring theatre companies.

Reuben

OUR FUNDRAISING HEROES Every day our incredible supporters inspire us with their determination to raise money and change the lives of children forever. It takes thousands of you to come together to deliver the special projects highlighted in this report. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your personal challenge, or you took the time to support a friend in theirs, you can be proud to have made a difference.

Our work in 2019 was fuelled by: 14,000 miles

19,500 pairs

450,000 ft

8,000 slices

4,500 miles

29,000

of bike rides

of skydives

of runs

of wrong trousers

of cake

lottery tickets

WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU

Sophie

We exist to support the extraordinary work at Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s NICU that touches the lives of 100,000 babies, children and young adults every year. It’s our job to make sure that they have the best possible care and experience in hospital. But we can’t do this without you. Do something wonderful for children today.

Donate Make a regular gift by setting up a direct debit and help provide a steady income stream that we can rely on. With your monthly gift, we can plan ahead and make long-term improvements for the NHS staff, patients and families.

Fundraise at home Whether it’s a virtual gathering, garden marathon or tour de flat, fundraising at home has been transformed by supporters’ creativity while social distancing.

Fundraise at work Who doesn’t like a dress down day or a cake sale? Order your fundraising pack and get your colleagues, friends and family behind a cause you care about.

Play the Lottery Our Grand Appeal lotto is a fun way to support us while giving you the chance to win up to £25,000. For every £1 ticket sold, the charity receives 50p. It really is win-win!

Shop with us The Gromit Unleashed Shop is packed full of great gifts and with all profits donated to The Grand Appeal buying one of our collectible figurines is a brilliant way to support the hospital. gromitunleashedshop.org.uk

Eliot

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