‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Patrick’s Mum, Sharon.
Did you know that 81% of the cost of care we provided last year was funded by people just like you? Last year we cared for 180 babies and children and it cost us £3.6m to provide that care, to local terminally ill children at our hospice, at their home and in hospital. We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of our supporters who help raise these vital funds, you are all very special.
A year of fundraising commitment for us
Recently, one of our Helen & Douglas House families have shown their appreciation for the care they received by doing some incredible fundraising. Teenager Patrick, from Gerrard’s Cross, received respite care at Helen & Douglas House for 10 years, until he was 18 years old. On leaving our care last September, as a thank you for the care he received, his incredible #HDHHero family committed to a year of fundraising for us. They pledged to raise £10k to reflect the ten years of support that Patrick received. However, in just six months, they not only achieved their target but surpassed it, raising an impressive £11,889 so far. £10,000 helps us to fund our specialist registered nurses for a week, providing vital one-to-one care for local terminally ill children at the hospice and at home.
Mum and Dad, Sharon and Jim and four siblings, Ellie, Finn, Niamh, and Cian, vowed to raise £10,000 for us in a single year, but just six months into their fundraising they have already smashed their target. As a family, they have already organised an impressive 11 fundraising events, including a retiring collection at the Wycombe Swan on 19th January raising £98, a retiring collection at Gayhurst School Christmas Services raising £2,283, taken part in our Frosty 5K fun run in December, and Patricks oldest sibling, Ellie, asked for money for Helen & Douglas House for her 21st birthday, rather than presents.
Patrick’s Mum Sharon said ‘As a family, we have been organising fundraising activities to say thank you to Helen & Douglas House for caring for Patrick. We are so grateful for 10 years of care & support. This has also been such a positive experience for Patrick and our other children too. With Helen & Douglas House’s support and medical guidance, we have been able to look after Patrick at home, where we all feel happiest. Helen & Douglas House offers respite, family stays, sibling group activities, counselling and palliative care for local terminally ill children and their families. Patrick turned 19 in September 2019 and we enjoyed our last stay at Helen & Douglas House two weeks before his birthday. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds to ensure Helen & Douglas House can continue to care for children like Patrick and families like ours’.
Want to help? Why not make a donation to the Morrisroe JustGiving page
Alison Stone, one of our Community Fundraisers said ‘we want to say a massive thank you to all of our supporters, including every member of the Morrisroe family and everyone who has donated to them. They have raised a fantastic amount of money.’
Every single £ donated, every lottery ticket purchased, every item donated or bought from one of our shops, and every single fundraising event, all help us to raise the vital funds that we need. As a charity, we receive very little Government funding and so without your incredible support, we simply would not be able to continue to provide the care we do.
See below for all the different ways you can get involved.
If you already support us, that is fantastic! Thank you. If you would like to start supporting us or want to do more, getting started shouldn’t be a daunting experience. We have many other ways you can show you care and you could: