Children's Hospice Week - Geraldine McLaughlin

Today for Children's Hospice Week, we share with you a story from one of our inspirational Nursery Nurses; Geraldine McLaughlin. What she's wrote really showcases how amazing it can be here at our Children's Hospice. 

"I work as a Nursery Nurse within Rebecca House and provide care for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. I have been working at Rebecca House from the day we first opened our doors back in 2007.

Each day here at Rebecca House is different depending on which children are attending and what shift I’m working. The day primarily is making sure each individual child’s needs are met, this includes personal care, feeding, and providing activities such as arts and crafts, trips out or giving children the opportunity to just chill out. Each child has an “All About Me” folder which includes their likes and dislikes, and we make sure these are kept updated. Most importantly it is about creating memories. My role can also include providing end of life care for a child. This can include practical care, memory making and emotional support for the family.

A lot of the children that attend Rebecca House have lots of hospital appointments that may be here or in the UK. They do not always have the same routine each day and things can change so quickly for them and sometimes it can mean numerous days in hospital. When they come to Rebecca House, we strive to create fun in a bright and relaxed environment so they can enjoy being children in a safe place while their medical needs are still being met. We have watched many children gain friendships with each other through attending and have gone on to stay connected outside of Rebecca House. We also have some amazing sensory and communication equipment that can be hugely beneficial to children that they may not have access to elsewhere.

At Rebecca House, we do not just look after the children that are on the caseload but the whole family. We provide a sibling group for the children who’s sibling attends Rebecca House. They get together and they have had some amazing days out and they get to experience being a child. They have enjoyed sibling camps, days out to Ape Mann and Hot Rocks to name just a few. Parents can take part in the parent group where they can get together for a curry and a quiz and just get to chat to other parents. We also have a great psychological and complementary therapy service that families can also access.

Everyone thinks a Hospice is such a sad place, especially a Children’s Hospice but the laughter and fun we have together is priceless. The child who will one day just look at you and give you a smile or the child who does not like touch but will reach out to hold your hand, moments like that stay with you. Once a child reaches eighteen and is still with us, they move into adult care and as much as it is sad to see these children leave us, it is also amazing to see them flourish and develop new friendships and skills. Being able to be part of that journey and help them transition is a real privilege. The other side of that though is the exceptional end of life care we offer. This can be one of the hardest parts of working at Rebecca House, but to be able to provide our Rainbow Room to families after their child has died and them knowing their child is looked after 24/7 in the days leading up to the funeral is priceless. Not only do we care for the child, but parents and siblings can stay if they wish in our family apartment so they can be close by."