Where Do the Funds Go?
Child-Friendly Books Dealing With Cancer
Professor Sue Ablett CCLG Executive Director, ( www.cclg.org.uk Registered Charity No 286669) contacted the Trust as it is very difficult to secure funding to publish booklets for children and their families. The Emily Ash Trust has seen the importance of the booklets, which range from books for young children which are made easy to read and understand, to a more detailed booklet about dealing with the death of a child for parents and carers. The Trust were delighted to be able to sponsor a number of booklets in the range.
This book is a colourful and beautifully illustrated booklet aimed at young children preparing for a stem harvest and transplant. It follows the story of Ruby, explaining in simple terms what its like to have stem cells harvested and how they are given back. Published December 2009.
This book is aimed at young children preparing to donate bone marrow for a relative. Published March 2009. It's lovely illustrations and simple narrative, prepare the child for the processes involved in providing a transplant.
Adolescent Pamper Days
Losing your hair, having limited contact with friends & family, being stuck in hospital, feeling lousy!! All of these things can have a profound effect on a teenager’s confidence and self esteem. To combat this we take between 2 and 4 patients, by limo, up to Top Shop in Oxford Street, London.
There they get to kit themselves out with a new wardrobe with the assistance of the personal shoppers & our volunteer helpers. After that it is off to an American Diner for a meal before returning to the Royal Marsden with sore feet and lots of bags. We have simply had too many thank you cards to put on the website!!
Pamper Days at the Royal Marsden
Every four to six weeks the members of the Trust, all volunteers, don their professional hats and organise a pamper day at the Royal Marsden in Sutton, for the parents, guardians and patients. This allows parents and carers, who simply haven’t got the time or opportunity to get to a hairdresser, the chance to relax for a couple of hours while our experts make them look beautiful!
Sibling Days Out
The financial and time restraints placed on parents who have a child suffering with cancer are huge. This often means that brothers and sisters don't get the levels of time, attention and fun that they normally would. We arrange a number of adventure days and events especially for them. See our past events page for more information.
Hospital Help
The Emily Ash Trust embarks upon many projects with local hospitals. The Trust donated £20k to Kingston Hospital for an isolated garden. By giving this donation the hospital were able to complete the work and open the garden much earlier than had ever been hoped for. As many children undergoing treatment are unable to mix with others, this garden created a wonderful space for children to escape the monotony of the ward and spend valuable time playing with their brothers and sisters.
Information Technology
When a child needs to have a bone marrow transplant, they initially have to undergo gruelling treatment. This is known as TBI (Total Body Irradiation) where quite literally all existing bone marrow is eradicated. Next Stage is for the transplant its self.
When the child undergoes the transplant and for many weeks afterwards, they have to stay in complete isolation - even their own siblings may not have physical contact - the child merely has 2 allocated guardians who are permitted access over the months. Other family and friends may use 'walkie talkie' phones transmitted through a glass wall to sustain communication with the patient. This is often the most traumatic and frustrating part of the whole transplant procedure.
Jungle Book Mural
When a child is preparing for treatment, they spend literally hours upon end in TBI rooms. By their very nature they are clinical and not very interesting or appealing to spend time in. When undergoing Total Body Irradiation children have to be in the treatment room entirely alone. The trust has commissioned an artist to decorate the TBI room at the RMH with a Jungle Book Mural which has been painted on three walls and on part of the scanner itself. This has helped create a less intimidating, more child friendly environment.
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“This allows the children who visit our department to lose themselves in Rudyard Kipling's tale and also gives us plenty of subject matter to distract them.” Bernadette Cronin, Service Lead - Nuclear Medicine and PET |
Games and Toys
Some of the hospitals have excellent facilities to care for the children's medical needs but are lacking in play facilities and toys to keep the children entertained and educated. We have donated a significant number of new toys as well as 3 portable DVD players to local hospitals and will continue to extend this on an annual basis.
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The new playroom being opened at St. George's Hospital |
Holiday Caravan
In March 2004, the Emily Ash Trust purchased an executive mobile home on a stunning caravan park in Battle, Sussex. This is for the sole use of families and children who are suffering from any form of cancer.
These families rarely book ahead for their summer holiday and naturally do not feel comfortable going abroad. Our holiday home has all the facilities to allow families to go away together for a short break without much notice, to spend some quality time together.
To find out more about availability for a FREE break please contact Heidi Rolfe on:
07932 747585 - www.crowhurstpark.co.uk
A Trip Of A Lifetime
Each year, The Emily Ash Trust is able to offer a family the chance to visit Santa in Lapland – a truly unforgettable experience for the child, and for their family. In December 2008 we were lucky enough to send two families to Lapland for a trip of a lifetime.
