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Jayden’s story: “We reached crisis point before we came to the hospice”

“I don’t know how our family would cope without Richard House Children’s Hospice. It would leave families like us in quite a bad way to be honest. We would find life a lot more difficult.”

This Children’s Hospice Week we are shining a spotlight on the amazing Children’s Hospices, that are there #ForTheChildren like Jayden.
Kareema is mum to 11 year old Jayden, who has Lowe Syndrome. This causes Jayden to have developmental delay, epilepsy, limited vision and kidney failure. He requires constant care.

At first I was nervous using a hospice service. But I soon realised it was the best thing I could have done – when Jayden visits Richard House he is safe, happy and looked after.

Kareema, Jayden's mum

Jayden’s favourite part of the hospice is the sensory room: “He doesn’t even make it to his bedroom at Richard House before he asks to go in there. Sometimes we just come by to use the sensory room, or the gardens and the day room.”

As well as benefitting from sensory therapy, Jayden enjoys music therapy at Richard House too, giving him an opportunity to express himself and his emotions through the sound of music: “It helps with Jayden’s communication skills and gives him an opportunity to be playful and you can see how much he enjoys it through his laughing and smiling.”

When Jayden and his family stay at the hospice for respite breaks, Kareema is able to stay in a family flat upstairs, which gives her peace of mind and enables her to check on him, but still have a break from caring. It also enables her to spend valuable one on one time with Jayden’s younger brother.

Richard House has also been there for Kareema and Jayden in emergency situations. When Kareema’s Nan passed away Richard House stepped in to provide respite care so Kareema could attend the funeral.

For Kareema’s family, life would be very difficult without their local children’s hospice, Richard House. Children’s hospices like Richard House provide vital support for children and young people with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. Show your support #ForTheChildren this #ChildrensHospiceWeek.

Family stories