We are thrilled to announce the appointment of two new members to our Board of Trustees. The appointees are Sue Hogg, Director of Children and Families at Children’s Hospices Across Scotland and Tracy Tait, Interim Director of Brand and Marketing at Penny Brohn UK. Sue and Tracy joined the Board of Trustees in July 2019, helping to steer our strategy and governance to make sure the UK’s 49,000 seriously ill children and their families can make the most of every moment they have together, whether that’s for years, months or only hours.
On their appointment, Dr Hilary Cass OBE, Chair of Trustees for Together for Short Lives said:
“I am delighted to be welcoming two such high calibre trustees on to the Board. We have a great deal to learn from the work done by Children’s Hospices Across Scotland in developing a really strong networked model, and we will benefit enormously from Sue’s involvement in this work, as well as her obvious enthusiasm, and her extensive nursing experience across a range of settings. Tracy brings a really unique perspective, through her first-hand experience of the importance of children’s palliative care which has given real meaning to her professional work in fundraising and communications; this has clearly given her a real passion for this role, which will be of immense benefit to our Board.”
Sue Hogg is a registered general and registered sick children’s nurse and worked in hospital and community nursing posts before her first move into children’s palliative care in 1993. She currently works for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) as Director for Children and Families. Sue brings a wealth of experience and knowledge including a BSc in Nursing Studies and Palliative Care, A Post Graduate Certificate in Professional Education and is currently working towards an MSc in Healthcare Management. Sue was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2005 and completed a Kings Fund Leadership Development Programme in 2011.
Sue Hogg is excited about joining the Board of Trustees at Together for Short Lives and describes the opportunity as:
The icing on the cake of a long professional connection with the organisation. I am aiming to bring an absolute commitment to supporting your team to deliver on the ambition of Together for Short Lives to achieve positive change for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Sue Hogg
Tracy Tait brings nearly 20 years’ experience working in the third sector, with solid strategic and operational experience across fundraising, communications, and marketing for child and adult healthcare charities, including Penny Brohn UK and Together for Short Lives. She has robust governance experience, gained serving as a Trustee for the charity the Amber Trust.
On becoming a Trustee to Together for Short Lives, Tracy Tait shares her personal passion for joining the charity.
“I remember exactly where I was when my sister called to tell me that Jack, my nephew, had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. I could hardly hear her through her sobs and I couldn’t really process what she was telling me, but somewhere deep inside I felt my heart break for her, for Jack, for our family.”
“Jack died at home, in his own bed, surrounded by his family and we will be forever grateful for that. I know this is not the experience for everyone.
It is vital that Together for Short Lives continues to campaign for the best quality of life and end of life care for every child and their family. I would like to do my bit in helping to make this possible. I’m very honoured to be invited to join the Trustees of Together for Short Lives and to be able to make a difference to a cause that is very personal to me.
Tracy Tait
