Star Born

Aside

Yesterday I went with my friend Margaret and some Townswomen’s Guild members (I was a guest) to visit Charlton Farm – a Children’s Hospice which is nestled in the valley of Wraxall near Bristol It provides a secluded and beautiful setting where families and their sick children can take some time out enjoying life together as a family.

The children who use the Hospice will have Life Limiting, or Life Threatening Conditions, which mean that they are not expected to live into adulthood. Some families may use the hospice for many years, from the time the child is first diagnosed; they may come for planned respite, or for emergency care, depending on their needs and the support that the family request. Sometimes grand-parents are catered for.

A special carer looks after the needs of the sick child and siblings have their own special career if they require and are supported throughout the life of their brother or sister and the end of this life and following death. The sibling staff is able to provide bereavement activities and care specifically for the children and spend time focusing on their need and the needs of the whole family.

The hospice provides a special room, Star born; this is a room where children can lie after their death. It allows for a private space for families to say their goodbyes. It can be used by both the families whose child has died in the hospice as well as those who have died at home or in hospital.

This is the only week in the year when the Hospice is closed for maintenance but when I asked one of the volunteers if I could take photographs she told me that although they were closed they could never turn a child away – they had admitted a family and the child had died. Therefore parts of the Hospice would be closed to us.

She was visibly upset so I said not to worry; however later she told me it was perfectly alright to take photos as long as I didn’t take any of the staff. We spent the morning being shown round by one of the devoted volunteers and I think the pictures speak for themselves. As we left the Hospice an ambulance was arriving.