Children's Hospice Week - Harvey Brooker

“Harvey is the happiest little boy you will ever meet but he had a very hard start in life.

During pregnancy we got his diagnosis of Down Syndrome, Dandy-Walker malformation and a Complete AVSD heart disorder. At 6 months old he needed open heart surgery, which was successful!

However, shortly after we discovered he also had a breathing condition called Bronchial Malacia. Harvey ended up having several cardiac arrests caused by respiratory arrests because of this. He was hospitalised in Alder Hey for 4 months while he recovered. When we finally came home, Harvey had to be ventilated overnight and because of his complex medical needs we had no one who could safety watch Harvey other than ourselves, until our referral to Rebecca House.

At this point, as much as we love Harvey, we had no respite whatsoever. So, when we were referred by our community nurses to Rebecca House, who were able to care for him, they provided us with a very appreciated break. We have had nothing but amazing experiences with all the staff. Harvey loves the girls and thoroughly enjoys his time there which puts our minds at ease, allowing us to relax.

There are no limits to how beneficial Rebecca House has been for us, from overnight stays to general advice to even helping us with our BSL journey. Harvey receives several sessions a month that vary in length, some are day sessions and most months we have an overnight stay too.

If Rebecca House weren’t around, it would honestly break our hearts. Not just for us but for every family Rebecca House has helped and could help in the future. The staff are simply amazing and are devoted to each and every child they look after.”