±«Óătv Children in Need FeedWelcome to the ±«Óătv Children in Need blog - the place to find the very latest news and information about the ±«Óătv's official charity.2014-08-27T12:24:16+00:00Zend_Feed_Writer/blogs/childreninneed2014-08-27T12:24:16+00:002014-08-27T12:24:16+00:00/blogs/childreninneed/entries/04155b52-52a6-38aa-8f5a-376c631b2e74Pudsey Bear<div class="component prose">
<p>As adults, we know that things donât always go to plan, and sometimes we have to deal with the unexpected. In these situations, the support and kindness of others can make a real difference to everyday life. <strong><a title="http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/" href="http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/" target="_self">Helen & Douglas House</a> </strong>is a very special childrenâs hospice in <strong>Oxford </strong>that offers this support and kindness at times like these, when families need it most.</p><p>Helen House was the worldâs first childrenâs hospice and Douglas House was set up in 2004 to provide the same care to young adults with life-limiting conditions, as well as their families. They offer specialist symptom and pain management, medically-supported short breaks and end-of-life care, as well as counselling and practical support for the whole family. </p><p>Weâd like to tell you about <strong>Evie </strong>and <strong>Thomas</strong>, two very special children helped by Helen & Douglas House.</p><p></p>
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<img class="image" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p022f85d.jpg" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/80xn/p022f85d.jpg 80w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/160xn/p022f85d.jpg 160w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p022f85d.jpg 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480xn/p022f85d.jpg 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640xn/p022f85d.jpg 640w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/768xn/p022f85d.jpg 768w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/896xn/p022f85d.jpg 896w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1008xn/p022f85d.jpg 1008w" sizes="(min-width: 63em) 613px, (min-width: 48.125em) 66.666666666667vw, 100vw" alt=""><p><em>Evie and Thomas</em></p></div>
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<p><strong>Thomasâs story</strong></p><p>Thomas is <strong>eight</strong>, and lives with his <strong>mum</strong>, <strong>dad </strong>and older brother <strong>Morgan</strong>. Morgan is 10, and has a very rare condition called <a title="http://www.dravetfoundation.org/dravet-syndrome/what-is-dravet-syndrome" href="http://www.dravetfoundation.org/dravet-syndrome/what-is-dravet-syndrome" target="_self"><strong>Dravet Syndrome</strong></a>, which only affects <strong>150 </strong>people in the UK. It means that Morgan has regular seizures, often in his sleep. When he was four, a particularly serious set of seizures caused him to lose all the abilities heâd learnt as a young child. Heâs since begun to move and walk again, but he still canât communicate very well. He has no awareness of speed or danger and so he gets about in a wheelchair to keep him safe. Morgan needs a lot of care, and parents <strong>Michele </strong>and <strong>Robert </strong>have to be very watchful.</p><p>Thomas cares deeply for Morgan. He knows how to give Morgan his oxygen, how to call for an ambulance and what it means to have a seizure. Thomas knows that sometimes he canât spend as much time with his parents as heâd like. This means that he has had less time to do the things children his age want to do, but heâs very grown up, and he understands why.</p><p>Helen House gives Morgan 14 nights respite care a year, allowing Thomas valuable time with his parents. Â They also run residential breaks for the siblings of children being cared for at the hospice and thatâs where he met Evie and made other new friends in similar circumstances.</p><p></p>
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<img class="image" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p022f8bm.jpg" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/80xn/p022f8bm.jpg 80w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/160xn/p022f8bm.jpg 160w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p022f8bm.jpg 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480xn/p022f8bm.jpg 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640xn/p022f8bm.jpg 640w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/768xn/p022f8bm.jpg 768w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/896xn/p022f8bm.jpg 896w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1008xn/p022f8bm.jpg 1008w" sizes="(min-width: 63em) 613px, (min-width: 48.125em) 66.666666666667vw, 100vw" alt=""><p><em>Thomas and his new friends.</em></p></div>
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<p>Thomasâ mum Michele was initially wary about seeking support from a hospice, but a visit to Helen House soon changed her mind:</p><p>â<em>The word hospice made me apprehensive so it took a year for me to visit, but we watched a DVD about the place and it made me think again. When I went there and saw the children smiling and laughing, I realised that this is the sort of place where anything goes. I vividly remember seeing this one little girl who wanted to dress up as a fairy but she couldnât because she was in a wheelchair so the costume wouldnât fit her properly. So the male nurse made her a fairy costume by cutting up something else that was in the dressing up box. It was brilliant. She was able to be a fairy after all.</em></p><p><em>Whereâs thereâs normally a ânoâ from a parent to a child or a âweâll do it tomorrowâ, at Helen House they just do it. And siblings in particular get a lot of âno, we canât because your brother canât do itâ so itâs great for Thomas.</em>â</p><p><strong>Evieâs story</strong></p><p>Evieâs also <strong>eight</strong>, and lives with her <strong>mum, dad</strong> and older sister <strong>Mabel</strong>. She loves music (sheâs particularly fond of a certain boy band!), making things and playing with friends. But recently, she and her family have been through a difficult time after her youngest sister <strong>Beatrice</strong>, just a year old, died.</p><p>When Evieâs mum, Elizabeth, was pregnant, everything seemed fine. When Beatrice was born, however, medical staff soon realised that her brain hadnât formed properly, and because of this she was partially deaf and blind. Doctors struggled to diagnose her condition. She had to be fed through a tube and was dependent on oxygen. It was clear that Beatrice would need lots of specialist care.</p><p>A little later, doctors told the family about Helen & Douglas House. Elizabeth arranged to visit the house for a brief respite; she planned to stay with Beatrice while Mabel and Evie took part in activities organised by the care team. It was at this time that Beatrice, having always been susceptible to chest infections, caught pneumonia, and passed away. She was just under a year old.</p><p>Elizabeth said: â<em>After Beatrice died in hospital, we were able to bring her to Helen House and stay with her for seven days while family and friends came and said their goodbyes. Meanwhile, the staff were doing things like our laundry and helping us to make funeral arrangements. We were moving house that week as well so it was an incredibly stressful time. But the care from the staff at Helen House was just amazing. It made saying goodbye a lot more humane and bearable in an unbearable situation</em>.â</p><p>Beatriceâs passing had a big effect on Evie and Mabel. The girls had been so excited at the thought of having a little sister to look after, but ended up dealing with something completely different. They both took up the offer of counselling from a support worker, <strong>Laura</strong>, at Helen House. Laura worked with the girls once a week at their school, also giving them one-to-one support. Mabel and Evie also joined the <strong>Elephant Club</strong>, a support group for siblings at Helen House. The friends theyâve made there have been an important part of the grieving process for the girls.</p><p>Elizabeth told us: <em>âOne day, the girls came home from Elephant Club and said to me âwe met a girl today and sheâs got a sister in heaven as well.â  It was great for them to see that they are not alone and that they werenât to blame for anything.â</em></p><p>A <strong>±«Óătv Children in Need</strong> grant of <strong>ÂŁ113,000</strong> over three years funds four sibling workers at Helen & Douglas House. For three decades, these hospices have helped children like Evie and Thomas to make sense of their experiences, and to understand that theyâre not alone. Your money means that whatever happens, children and families in unimaginable situations will always be able to turn to places like Helen & Douglas House.</p><p>Follow us on <a title="https://www.facebook.com/officialpudsey" href="https://www.facebook.com/officialpudsey" target="_self">Facebook</a> and <a title="https://twitter.com/±«ÓătvCiN" href="https://twitter.com/±«ÓătvCiN" target="_self">Twitter </a>for the latest news from ±«Óătv Children in Need</p>
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2014-03-28T14:46:31+00:002014-03-28T14:46:31+00:00/blogs/childreninneed/entries/bd20d82b-a5d9-3f89-9cac-4e9556f07b1dYoung Carer Shannon<div class="component prose">
<p><strong>Last year the ±«Óătv reported that there were a quarter of a million young carers in England and Wales alone. Shannon is a young carer aged 15. For the last seven years sheâs been looking after her mum who has multiple sclerosis, and things havenât been easy. ±«Óătv Children in Need funds a Young Carers group at Voluntary Action South Leicestershire where Shannon goes to get support and help. For Mother's Day Shannon has written an open letter to her mum about the challenges she faces as a young carer.</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Dear Mum,</em></p><p><em>I was 7 years old when I found out you had multiple sclerosis. It happened faster than anything I could have imagined. I remember us being home alone and you were ill. I didn't know what to do so I got the neighbour. They couldn't wake you up, so I called the ambulance. Seeing you ill was bad enough but seeing you rushed to hospital, unconscious, wearing an oxygen mask was even worse! After that day our lives changed forever.</em> </p><p><em> </em> </p><p><em>We were really close before this happened. I remember when you were able to walk around without falling over. I remember when we played together and when we were really happy, but after this happened I guess we grew apart. You were so busy with hospital appointments and had your own health to worry about, let alone mine. I didn't see as much of you as I wanted to because you were always in hospital. I didnât understand a lot of what was happening, so I always worried. Later on I had my own health problems too, but I tried to keep smiling for you, mum.</em></p>
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<img class="image" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p01wf1qn.jpg" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/80xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 80w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/160xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 160w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/320xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 640w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/768xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 768w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/896xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 896w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1008xn/p01wf1qn.jpg 1008w" sizes="(min-width: 63em) 613px, (min-width: 48.125em) 66.666666666667vw, 100vw" alt=""><p><em>Shannon and her mum</em></p></div>
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<p><em> </em></p><p><em>I think ânormalâ teenagers sometimes take their childhoods for granted. Itâs harder for me to make friends because I come straight home to clean up and help with simple things such as putting your socks on or doing your makeup. Making my own dinner and looking after myself is something other people my age canât understand. I say that it's ok, not everyone has to do this but I do and it's my life and I canât change it. Some days it's really hard to keep a smile on your face when all you can think about is someone else's safety but you have to be strong!</em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>I worry about the future because I realise that at some point you could lose all of your stability and would have to be in a wheelchair all day every day. It upsets me watching you get gradually worse. I worry, but no matter what I will always be there to support you! </em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>Mum, you are my inspiration. Youâve always got a positive attitude to life and even when youâre having a bad day, youâre still happy. Sometimes I know youâre hiding how poorly you feel, and donât tell me. It just goes to show that no matter what goes on in your life, there's always something to smile about! </em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>I love you Mum, </em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>Shannon.</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>The money that you raise helps ±«Óătv Children in Need to fund projects supporting young people like Shannon. To find out more, like us on <a title="Pudsey Bear" href="https://www.facebook.com/officialpudsey?ref=br_rs" target="_blank"><span>Facebook </span></a>and follow us @<a title="Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/±«ÓătvCiN" target="_blank"><span>±«ÓătvCiN </span></a>on Twitter.</strong></p>
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2013-03-01T10:52:38+00:002013-03-01T10:52:38+00:00/blogs/childreninneed/entries/8ab7efd4-e007-3da5-9c56-c62ea14b448aPaul Condon<div class="component prose">
<p>I nodi Dydd Gwyl Dewi ar Mawrth 1af beth am ddathlu peth oâr gwaith anhygoel sydd yn mynd ymlaen diolch iâr 140 o brosiectau yng Nghymru sydd yn derbyn arian diolch iâch rhoddion?</p><p>Mae ±«Óătv Plant mewn Angen wedi dosbarthu grantiau werth mwy na ÂŁ7 miliwn i elusennau drwyâr wlad, o Sir Benfro i Blas Madoc, sydd yn delio gyda materion syân cynnwys profedigaeth, delio ac anabledd, amhariad, anghenion addysg, anhawster ymddygiad, effeithiau cam-drin domestig, bod yn ddigartref, a bwlio.</p><p>Yn Ysbyty Cyffredinol Maelor yn Wrecsam maeâr Doctoriaid Syân Canu (sef Cressida a David) yn ymweld yn wythnosol Ăą phlant sydd wedi eu dewis yn arbennig. Maeâr ymweliadau yn rhoi cyfle i dynnu sylwâr cleifion aâr rhieni o feddwl am y dulliau meddygol aâr poen neuâr anghysur maen nhwân teimlo.</p><p></p>
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<em>Doctoriaid Syân Canu</em>
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<p>Mae ±«Óătv Plant mewn Angen hefyd yn ariannu âY Tirâ â prosiect yn Wrecsam sydd yn helpu pobl ifanc i ddylunio a chreu canolfan chwarae o stwff iâw ailgylchu a sbwriel. Maeâr pobl ifanc yn dysgu sgiliau bywyd hynod werthfawr am rheoli risg, defnyddioâr dychymyg, datrys problemau a rhannu (gan hefyd greu lleoliad diogel a hwyl i chwarae ynddo).</p><p>Rydym ond yn gallu cefnogiâr prosiectau yma (a dwsinau tebyg) yng Nghymru drwy haelioni ein codwyr arian aân cefnogwyr. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi gyd. A Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus i chi gyd o bawb yma ym Mhencadlys Pudsey!</p><p><a href="/blogs/childreninneed/posts/Celebrating-St-Davids-Day" target="_self">Read this article in English</a></p>
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2013-02-28T18:09:32+00:002013-02-28T18:09:32+00:00/blogs/childreninneed/entries/aa5cc26c-aac3-3523-93ed-34fdae01b4bePaul Condon<div class="component prose">
<p>To mark St Davidâs Day on 1 March, we want to celebrate some of the amazing work going on at the <a href="/programmes/b008dk4b/features/cin-whoyouhelp-wales" target="_self">140 projects throughout Wales </a>that are being funded thanks to your donations.</p><p>±«Óătv Children in Need has awarded grants worth more than <strong>ÂŁ7 million</strong> to charities throughout the nation, from Pembrokeshire to Plas Madoc, covering a range of issues from bereavement support to help coping with a disability, impairment, educational need, behavioural difficulty, experiencing domestic abuse, homelessness or bullying.</p><p><a href="/programmes/b008dk4b/profiles/cin-whoyouhelp-wales-theland" target="_self">Click here </a>to find out more about read about how a group of children in Wrexham are using recycled junk to create their own outdoor play space.</p><p>And once you've watched the cute-as-a-button video below, <a href="/programmes/b008dk4b/profiles/cin-whoyouhelp-wales-singing-doctors" target="_self">click to discover </a>exactly how the Welsh National Opera is bringing a smile to young hospital patients.</p><p></p>
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<em>Helping to bring happiness and fun to very poorly children through the power of music.</em>
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<p><a href="/blogs/childreninneed/posts/Dydd-Gwyl-Dewi-Hapus" target="_self">Darllenwch yn Gymraeg</a></p>
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