Legacy of 10-year-old from Fareham to live on in project to help feed families
Sophie Fairall lost her battle in 2021, but before she died she urged her mum to help improve child cancer services
A mother from Fareham, who lost her 10-year-old daughter to cancer, has said her legacy will live on in a project to help feed families.
Sophie Fairall lost her battle in 2021, but before she died she urged her mum to help improve child cancer services.
Last year, Charlotte launched a pilot project to ensure parents receive food while staying in hospital with their children during treatment.
Sophie’s Legacy and NHS England are today (26 July) announcing the launch of the pilot project.
Following the initial pilot at nine hospitals in 2023, 15 more hospitals have now joined the programme to provide food for parents.
The initiative aims to address the critical issue of providing meals to parents staying in hospitals with their children.
They say access to food and drink is not just a comfort but a fundamental necessity for parents navigating the stress of having a child in the hospital.
They add that by ensuring parents' basic needs are met and stress levels are reduced, parents can actively participate in their child’s care and engage more effectively with medical professionals, leading to better decision-making about treatment options and plans.
Sophie’s Legacy's goal is to scale this initiative nationwide, ensuring no parent must go without proper nutrition while supporting their child in hospital.
Over the past six months, Sophie’s Legacy has worked alongside NHS England to expand the project throughout England.
The project will run for up to twelve weeks, during which each hospital will offer at least two meals per day, to the parent/carer.
Hospitals involved are required to demonstrate how they will continue to feed parents beyond the pilot project, and evaluation of the impact of the projects will potentially enable them to provide an evidence-based argument for future funding.
Charlotte Fairall, CEO of Sophie’s Legacy, expressed her satisfaction with the project's launch, stating, "I am pleased we have managed to get this project launched. The impact this will have on thousands of families across the 15 hospitals will be huge.
"No parent should have to go hungry when they are in hospitals with their child, and we are doing all we can to change this."
NHS England deputy chief nurse Duncan Burton said: “We’re delighted to have worked with Sophie’s Legacy to support these trusts to provide food for parents. We know it can be an incredibly stressful time for parents and children and this is one way which can improve the experience of parents who are staying with their child in hospital.
"We are keen to take the learning from the trusts who have joined this programme and share this with others across the country."