It's Good to Talk

Sophie’s Appeal was proud to help a get together for parents bereaved by childhood cancer and those with children currently in remission or undergoing treatment.

One bereaved mum whose little girl was treated at Piam Brown Children’s Cancer Ward in Southampton said,

‘You have no idea how much it meant to myself and many others that attended, to be able to spend time with other parents that just understood how each other felt.

There were a few bereaved parents, I myself am one of those and it was just so nice to be able to relax and just talk to parents in the same boat as me as well as parents with children still going through treatment and in remission. We were able to laugh, chat and just have fun without having to worry.

We all just 'got it'.’

Sophie’s Appeal funds the regions first ‘Beads of Courage’ scheme.

Sophie’s Appeal is funding the regions first ever Beads of Courage programme for children receiving treatment for cancer. Beads of Courage is an inspirational scheme which honours the children’s courage and bravery, through the collection of handmade decorative beads from around the world. Each individual bead represents a specific treatment received such as; blood transfusions, chemotherapy sessions, bone marrow transplants, scans, dialysis, drug trials and much more.

The programme started in America in 2004 and was soon rolled out in Japan and New Zealand. In its infancy in the UK, the initiative is being rolled out at Southampton General Hospital’s Piam Brown Children’s Ward, and the running costs have been funded by a donation from Sophie’s Appeal.

Major benefits of the programme are that it helps to decrease distress, provides a coping strategy and helps children find meaning in illness. The programme also provides something tangible that a child can use to tell family and care-givers about their experience during treatment. The beads also help explain to teachers and friends what has happened to them whilst they have been away from school.

One of Sophie’s special hospital friends, eighteen year old Hannah Wright (pictured) has been participating in the scheme since December 2011. She has collected 10,868 beads so far (as at July 2013) during her treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaeima Philadelphia Positive. (ALL ph+) and managed to collect the beads for treatment she has received since 2004. She said: “The beads make something positive out of horrible experiences and it's nice to get special beads when something is over and done with. They make people realise exactly how much you go through and it's not 'just ' chemo you have to deal with. The beads also make it easier to tell people your experiences and of course they are really pretty. When my doctors ask if I will have extra treatment or tests I just tell them,

 "It's all about the beads!"

Lin Barringer, Sophie’s Mum and Charity Founder, added, “Sophie would have been proud of her beads and would have talked to and educated her family and peers about her experiences. It is such tangible evidence of what these children have gone through in their personal battles to fight this disease. It is their journey, their story. For me, as a Mum, I wish this programme had been available to Sophie. She would have been proud of her beads. For a grieving family, I am sure during our darkest days Sophie’s beads would have in some way given us some comfort, would have helped us talk about our feelings, just as she had. For us Sophie would have lived on through her beads."

What a Reception!

Following a donation of £80,000, Sophie's Appeal is proud to have been invited to the opening of the new Reception Area on Northbrook Children's Ward at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

The tremendous success of Sophie's Place, the Children's Assessment and Treatment area on Northbrook Ward, funded by Sophie's Appeal, inspired the Hospital to launch the Magic Wand Appeal to regenerate the entire children's ward and provide modern childcare facilities befitting of the ethos of the dedicated consultants and staff on the ward.

The reception area was officially opened by The Worshipful the Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Frank Pearson and attended by MP Steve Brine, young patients, their parents, staff from the ward as well as the fundraising committee from Sophie's Appeal.

This new area provides a bright, friendly and secure welcome to all visitors to the ward and provides a tantalising insight into the future development of the ward.

Consultant paediatrician Ian Rodd said: "Today is the end of the beginning. Inspired by Sophie's Place, we have started the regeneration of the children's ward which will provide a bright, welcoming facility for childcare in Winchester.

Sophie's Appeal's relationship with Northbrook Ward was started with a conversation between Dr Ian and Sophie's dad in the small hours of one dark February morning in 2004 when both shared their ideas about transforming the childcare facilities whilst Sophie was being treated on the ward.

Sophie's Appeal would like to thank both the local community and businesses that have supported our fundraising aims. Without you none of this would have been possible. Thank you.

As Ian said, 'This is the end of the beginning'. Please keep checking back to see how you can help us to continue to support this project.