Our families

Even though twins run in the family, it still came as a shock to Rajbinder and her husband, Manohar, that they were due to welcome two new additions into the family.

Just like any teenager, 17-year-old Hollie absolutely adores her music – from R’n’B to Girls Aloud. But, unlike her peers, Hollie suffers from the life-limiting progressive disorder Rett Syndrome.

Acey had what most mums would call a perfect pregnancy until around 32 weeks when she started displaying symptoms that would mark the start of a very difficult journey for her family.

Following a traumatic birth after suffering placental abruption, Marie had to endure every mother’s worst fear as her baby daughter Rosie was whisked away in urgent need of care.

When Lorea was a baby she hardly ate, was always crying and slept all the time. Already having a healthy two-year-old girl, Amaia, parents Maite and Adrian just felt something wasn’t right.

Lilly-Anne was born five weeks early in June 2013 and from the very start mum Katie picked up on signs that things might not be right with her newborn.

16-year-old Josh was fit, sporty and unassuming. He’d had no significant health concerns, until one day the family’s world came crashing down. Mum Caroline shares their story.

“I am a Shooting Star Children’s Hospices mum. A few years ago, that would have meant very little to me. Today, it means I belong to a group of parents with a life-limiting condition and we will probably have to say goodbye to our children way too early.”