Aidan’s story: “Lockdown pushed us to our limits”
Five-year-old Aidan is a happy, dinosaur-loving boy with a vivid imagination. He was born with a rare abnormal growth in his windpipe that affects his breathing, eating and speech; a condition that requires round the clock care known as cystic hygroma.
Caring for a child with complex medial needs like Aidan is a challenge – and even more so in a pandemic. Hard decisions had to be made to protect Aidan and keep the risks in the family home down.
Mum Carly had to rely on friends and family heavily, even for simple things like the weekly shop. The support and respite care the family depended on so much from Alexander Devine children’s hospice had to pause. All the things that brought Aidan so much joy – paddling in the hydro pool, baking, painting – disappeared.
“This last year has been like a pressure cooker for our family. We’re exhausted and worried. We’ve never felt so isolated. A year of shielding and lockdown has pushed my family to our limits.”
This last year has been like a pressure cooker for our family. We’re exhausted and scared. We’ve never felt so isolated. A year of shielding and lockdown has pushed my family to our limits.
Aidan's Mum Carly
Thankfully, the family were able to continue receiving emotional and practical support from the children’s hospice so that even when they felt cut off from the world outside, they were never totally alone.
And as soon as they were allowed, Aidan, his brothers and parents were able to visit Alexander Devine again to enjoy some much-needed respite care.
Our children’s hospice is always there to turn to.
There are no limits to what the children’s hospice team at Alexander Devine will do for a family like Aidan’s.
But right now, children’s hospices around the UK are being pushed to their limits. More and more families need their help – and that’s why we need you to push yourself to your limits and start fundraising.
When you push yourself to your limits this Children’s Hospice Week, you can make sure children’s hospices are not pushed to theirs.
Your fundraising will mean that families like Aidan’s will always have the support they need to make precious memories together.
Will you push yourself to your limits, so children’s hospices aren’t pushed to theirs? #ChildrensHospiceWeek
