Bringing up children and raising a healthy, happy family is hard work at the best of times. When a child is born with or develops a life limiting condition, the emotional and physical impact affects the whole family and can be overwhelming. 

As many of our friends & family will know, Harry is one half of a dynamic duo who was born prematurely with multiple complex health issues including Charge syndrome, double aortic arch, partial deafness, severe hypospadias &  growth restriction. At 6 weeks old Harry developed the devastating infection Necrotising Enterocolitis which resulted in multiple life saving surgeries & subsequent removal of all but 30 cm of his bowel & 14 months in hospital battling with the complications of short gut syndrome. 

Harry lives his best life each & every day despite living under an umbrella of uncertainty. He embraces life in his own special way & always finds a way to overcome any challenge he faces. He loves his time at Demelza as he is given the time & space to just be himself & have the greatest fun supported by the most wonderful staff in an environment where they can manage all of his complexities. He especially loves visits from Honey the PAT dog & his time in the music room!

As a Mummy, walking into a hospice with my child was one of the hardest things I ever did as I had to face the fear of why we needed to be there rather than put it to the back of my mind, but I soon realised that they were there to enable not only Harry, but all of our family to live life to the fullest! We all enjoy some wonderful family time in the hydropool & both James & Thomas have benefited from the sibling support & art therapy provided by Demelza.

I think if Harry could talk, he would tell us what Demelza means to him & how excited he will be taking on the little warrior challenge to give back to a hospice that does so much for him & many of his amazing buddies!. So please do spare any pennies you can for TeamHarrycaine! 

At Demelza, we focus on supporting each child, young person and family we work with to achieve the best possible life. As specialists in care for young people and family support, we will continue to use our outstanding knowledge, experience and expertise to help families enjoy their lives together.