Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice has launched a campaign urging everyone in the region to raise £29 each to fund one hour of care for a desperately ill child.
Simply called Care £29 this exciting new initiative is calling on everyone to raise just £29 each, to provide one hour of specialist nursing care as well as aromatherapy massage, light and music therapy for a Zoë’s Place child suffering with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness.
At the same time that one hour of respite care allows their families to take a much-needed break, recharging their batteries, giving them time to sleep, rest, unwind and to devote time to their other children. Respite care is at the heart of Zoe’s Place and can make an unbelievable difference to the amazing mums and dads who come to the hospice each day.
Mark Guidery, General Manager of the Middlesbrough facility, the region’s only dedicated baby hospice, made the call for fundraising support following an appeal earlier this month for donations to help Zoë’s Place ensure it remains open 24/7.
He said: “Caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening illness is distressing and extremely demanding. It is relentless and can often take its toll on a family.
“Here at Zoë’s Place our love and care is not just for the children. We look at the family as a unit, providing counselling sessions and sibling support, ensuring we are taking some of the weight off these families during what is a very stressful time.”
He added: “With a sum as modest as £29 we can provide an hour of care for a child in need. We are also able to ensure that each of our children and their families are getting all the care they deserve.”
Already the scheme has the backing of Teesside Park which is rallying the help of at least 29 stores within the complex to pull out all the stops for Zoë’s Place. Staff at the hospice are also urging more people to organise their own fundraising events, calling on neighbours, families, friends and their wider community for support.
Mark said: “Whether a cake bake, sponsored walk or a coffee morning, £29 is in most cases a target we can try to reach. Every event that takes place in aid of Care £29 takes us closer to reaching our £1.5 million annual target to help our hospice stay open.”
Zoe’s Place is a part of our community and it is crucial that our friends and supporters know that we are prudent and careful with every penny donated to the hospice. There are no extravagances here and we have always tried to get value for money in everything we do.
We can only play our part in the care of these wonderful children with the generosity and kindness of our local community and we will never forget that.
The first Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice opened in Liverpool in 1995, with Middlesbrough opening its doors at Crossbeck House, in High Street, in 2004 and a third facility in Coventry in 2011.
For further information on Zoë’s Place log on to https://www.zoes-place.org.uk/middlesbrough/default.aspx