‘Opening Doors, Dispelling Myths’ this Children’s Hospice Week
This Children’s Hospice Week, 17 – 23 June, Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is championing the theme ‘Opening Doors, Dispelling Myths’ which showcases how we unlock a world of compassionate care and vital support for families, as well as our mission to break down common misconceptions about children’s hospices.
When we open our doors to a family for the first time and throughout their journey with us, we want them to walk into a welcoming and supportive haven. We’re there to ‘open doors’ for families who may have nowhere else to turn, providing bespoke care and support, which is free of charge to families.
To illustrate the myriad ways we figuratively open doors for the whole family unit, we are literally opening them to Shooting Star House in Hampton on Saturday 22 June. Our Open Day invites those in the local community to come and explore our facilities and gain a greater understanding of the compassionate care we provide, as well as dispelling common misconceptions and myths around children’s hospices.
We invite you to come see first-hand what services we offer to families, from our hydrotherapy pool to our counselling rooms, and meet some of our dedicated team of Family Support Workers. There will also be some refreshments and fun garden activities, such as croquet, giant Jenga and face-painting for all the family to enjoy.
There are two sessions available from 10am – 12.30pm and then our afternoon session from 1.30 – 4pm, with entry completely free – you can book your space here.
Meanwhile, for those interested in working with us, we invite you to attend our Recruitment Fair at Christopher’s on Tuesday 18 June. This will take place between 1-8pm. The fair is an opportunity to visit our Guildford based hospice and discover how working in a children’s hospice can be a rewarding experience, making a real difference to children and families, whatever your role. Following an expansion to include our new bereavement service, we are currently recruiting for roles within our nursing team, housekeeping and catering team, therapy team and administrative support staff.
You can book in advance here to reserve a place, with initial interviews being conducted on the day.
As a supported mum said, ““There is so much support for your child and the whole family—the services offered are like scaffolding, literally holding up your life so you can keep going. Knowing we have that safety net is just crucial.”
Paul Farthing, Chief Executive of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices said, “Our amazing team are always there to ‘open doors’ for children and families that need our support. This is made possible by our fantastic supporters, so we want to give everyone the chance to see inside the door and find out more about how we support children with life-limiting conditions and their families.”
Children’s Hospice Week was launched by Together for Short Lives, which celebrates children’s hospice and palliative care services across our communities in the UK and the seriously ill children and young people they support. It’s the UK’s only awareness-raising and fundraising week for children with life-limiting conditions and the services, like children’s hospices, that support them.
Follow us on our social media channels this Children’s Hospice Week to see how many ways we ‘open doors’ for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families, as well as how you can support us in continuing to do so.