Helen & Douglas House to care for over 70 children this Christmas
The hospice aims to raise £66,000 to support services during the festive period
Helen & Douglas House is expecting to care for more than 70 seriously ill children throughout the Christmas period, which is often one of their busiest times of the year.
The hospice, based in Oxford, provides care to children at its facility, as well as a 24-hour phone service to support families at home over Christmas.
They are aiming to raise £66,000 to help fund care for the children and families who will turn to its services in the coming weeks.
Helen & Douglas House offers a personalised approach to care during the festive season to ensure families can spend quality time together.
From Christmas meals and decorations to arranging gifts, its team provides support so families can make memories while accessing critical end-of-life and respite care.
Nicole Mallett was diagnosed with Diffuse Midline Glioma (brain and spinal tumours) in 2022, at 14-years-old.
She spent Christmas 2023 at Helen & Douglas House and passed away on 27th December.
Nicole's mum, Bethan, explained how the hospice made Nicole’s last Christmas special.
Bethan said: “Helen & Douglas House turned her final days into something beautiful. From fairy lights and pigs in blankets, to music and pictures of ducks in her room (her favourite animal), the team at Helen & Douglas House made sure that every detail unique to Nicole was taken care of.
“On Christmas Day, a chef cooked lunch for everyone. Nicole had been so excited about the festive period, and with the support of the care team, she was able to join her family at the dinner table.
"It couldn’t have been more different to the Christmas before, which Nicole spent in hospital. We never expected to have a proper Christmas meal together again. Christmas wasn’t sad, it was a really happy day.”
Helen & Douglas House is asking for support from the public to help raise the £66,000 to fund care for children like Nicole over the Christmas period.