Hospices providing care and support to life-limited children, young people and their families throughout Wales have been chosen as the Farmers' Union of Wales' latest charitable cause, it was revealed at the Royal Welsh Show today (Monday July 22).
Cardiff-based T? Hafan and Oswestry-based Hope House Children’s Hospices which includes T? Gobaith at Conwy will share the proceeds of the fund that will be formally launched by FUW president Emyr Jones on Wednesday July 24 at the union’s pavilion alongside the main ring at Llanelwedd.
T? Hafan, established in 1999, has helped over 500 families who live with the reality that their children live with life-limiting conditions suffering from various conditions including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis and Celebral Palsy.
The hospice offers comfort, care and support for such children and young people and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the whole family. This comfort and support extends out of the hospice to reach right into the heart of the family home and is completely free to the families in Wales who need it.
“We are delighted to be one of the FUW’s Charities of the Year and are really looking forward to working in partnership with them to raise funds and awareness for the vital service we provide to hundreds of life-limited children, young people and their families from across Wales,” said T? Hafan head of business and community fundraising Frank Ady.
Carys Verdin, whose six year old son Rhydian suffers from a non-malignant but extensive brain tumour, said: “We are thrilled to be helping with the official announcement and are really pleased that T? Hafan has been chosen as the FUW’s charity of the year. Rhydian and the whole family receive fantastic support from T? Hafan and we’re really honoured to be representing the charity at the event.”
Rhydian was diagnosed at six months with a non-malignant but extensive brain tumour, for which he had surgery. Sadly the tumour has since grown back which has severely affected his development.
He is not able to bear his weight, except with a standing frame, has limited movement on his right side and is registered blind although has partial sight in his left eye.
Hope House and T? Gobaith also provide care and support to life-limited children, young people and their families from north and mid Wales, Shropshire and Cheshire. A range of services is offered - including respite and end-of-life care at the hospices and/or within the family home - plus counselling, advocacy and the promotion of children, young people’s and carers’ rights.
The support offered includes physical, psychological and spiritual care from a team including experienced doctors, nurses and other care professionals.
Jeanette Steadman, whose six-year-old son Kyle is a regular visitor at T? Gobaith, said: “T? Gobaith and Hope House have been our lifesaver. If it wasn’t for the support of the hospice we wouldn’t know where to turn. They are always there for us, be it on the end of the telephone or in person.”
T? Gobaith fundraising manager Sarah Kearsley-Wooller said: “We are delighted that Hope House Children's Hospices has been chosen by the FUW as one of their chosen charities for 2013/2014, especially as we are celebrating our 10th birthday in 2014.
“Each year we need to raise more than £1 million to provide care and support to terminally ill, life limited children, young people and their families and the significant support of the FUW will make such a difference.”
FUW president Emyr Jones said he hoped that by the end of next year the total amount raised by FUW members and supporters will be at least as much as the £50,000 handed over earlier this year to the union’s last beneficiary Cancer Research Wales.