"It's a place of warmth and happiness:" Bordon parents who lost their son back Shooting Star Children's Hospice Christmas campaign
Ted was eight years old when he died in March
Last updated 7th Dec 2020
A Bordon family who lost their eight year old son earlier this year is supporting our local children's hospice this Christmas.
Ted was diagnosed with Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome (AGS) which meant he had brain damage and ultimately needed 24-hour-care.
Mum and dad Amber and Arthur explained just how vital the charity has been for them:
“Everything seemed so overwhelming, but when we were told that Shooting Star Children’s Hospices would be able to support us, it was like a hole had been filled, a weight lifted,” explains Ted’s parents Amber and Arthur.
“We didn’t know how much we needed a lifeline until we were given one.
“We can’t put into words what having Shooting Star Children’s Hospices means to us.
"So many special memories with Ted are at the hospice and we always hoped that, when the time came, Ted would die peacefully there with his family around him. But sadly, it didn’t happen that way.”
Earlier this year Ted picked up a flu and fever and slipped into unconsciousness. The hospital told the family that Ted needed to be intubated and put on life support, but he went into cardiac arrest during theatre.
Ted died in hospital on 2nd March 2020.
“Without Shooting Star Children’s Hospices we don’t know what we would have done, they were there for us from the moment he died.
"Everything happened so quickly, so when Ted was finally moved to the hospice it meant our family and close friends had the time they needed to say goodbye to Ted, they needed that closure.
“You can never prepare for the heartache of losing your child, but the support of the care team kept us going.
"They created hand casts and hand prints for us, which we’ll always treasure. Saying goodbye to your child is such a heart-breaking and unnatural thing to have to do, but in the hospice setting, it’s beautiful really.
“We will be forever grateful that we got to say goodbye to Ted at the place that felt like home. There will forever be a part of our family missing and Christmas will be incredibly sad this year, but we will celebrate all the years we had with Ted and the lovely memories of Christmas time at the hospice.”
Shooting Star relies heavily on donations especially during the pandemic when fundraising has been particularly challenging.
Find out how to support the charity here