Funding for new care packs means families admitted to Addenbrooke’s in an emergency with a poorly child no longer need to worry about packing the essentials. They can now concentrate on being by their child’s side where they’re needed most.
Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals regularly have children admitted and transported from outside the region with their parents. These children are often extremely poorly and admitted in emergency situations, and families often arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs having not had the time to even think about packing bags.
Now, thanks to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) and the support of Illumina, families arriving in these situations will receive new emergency care packs filled with essential items such as toiletries, underwear, clothing and sanitary products. These invaluable packs will provide much more than the items inside – they will give families a sense of dignity and support and crucially allow them to do the most important thing at that time – be there at their child’s bedside.
For Stephanie McCrae, Senior Sister in the Children’s Services team at Addenbrooke’s, these packs are essential to the care Addenbrooke’s provides to the whole family in situations like this:
“The emergency care packs will make a significant difference to families who are resident in the hospital with a sick child. Families may have arrived unexpectedly or have an unplanned extended stay with little or no personal belongings. By providing these basic necessities, we can ease some of the immediate stress they face. We are grateful to ACT and our generous corporate sponsors Illumina for funding this project. It’s donations like these that help us offer additional support beyond nursing and medical care.”
Each week it is estimated that at least one family will be admitted to Addenbrooke’s in an emergency with a poorly child needing these essentials because they haven’t been able to prepare or pack in time. That’s more than 360 families every year who are faced with the stress and pressure of this situation. Through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and Illumina, approximately 550 emergency care packs will be made available which is enough to provide families with essential items for at least the next 18 months.
For Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, these packs represent the vital projects that help to make Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie Hospitals even better, and the power of partnerships with supporters like Illumina:
“We are extremely grateful to Illumina for funding the emergency care packs. When children are admitted in emergency situations they are often extremely poorly, and their families or carers simply don’t have time to even think about packing all the essentials before getting to hospital.”
“Sometimes they come straight to hospital and arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs, to then have to think about going out to buy essentials when all they want to do is just be there with their child is just extremely stressful for the family.”
“To now be able to provide enough packs across all the paediatric wards for the next 18 months is amazing. It will ease the pressure and stress the families and carers face and just allow them to do what they want to do – which is be by their child’s side.”
These packs will be available across every children’s ward and emergency department for at least the next 18 months, supporting every family that needs this help.
Clare Kingsley, Senior Director in the Clinical Lab at Illumina Lab Services said:
“Patient experience is important, which is why we align with ACT’s mission. Illumina is proud to support the emergency care packs project. We hope to provide some small comfort with these essential items during what can be a difficult for families and primary carers.”
Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust are delighted that staff from Illumina will be downing tools on 21 November to help pack these essential supplies, so that they will be available for families who need them well before Christmas – a time of year when all too many families will see themselves admitted to hospital with a poorly child, and when the time of year only adds to the stress and pressure, making these packs all the more important.
