Our baby boy needed open heart surgery over Christmas
Billy spent his first Christmas recovering from the first of two open heart surgeries. Eckersley House kept his parents by his side
Family stories
We believe every family with a seriously ill child in hospital should be able to stay together. Here you can read inspiring, first-hand accounts from families who have stayed in one of our ‘Homes from Home’.
My daughter spent her first Christmas recovering from a liver transplant
While Myla was recovering from a liver transplant, 220-miles away from her home in Scotland. Eckersley House kept her parents close by
My son Jacobe spent last Christmas recovering in hospital
Jacobe was admitted to hospital on Christmas Eve last year. We supported his parents Sarah and Gary so they could stay together
My son was born 16 weeks premature; Crawford House kept us together for three months
Jack was born 16 weeks premature and needed specialist treatment in Newcastle. Crawford House supported his parents, Jessica and Dean, with a place to stay so they could always be by his side. They're sharing their experience as part of World Prematurity Day.
My son was born six weeks premature, but Chestnut House became the perfect base
Arriving six weeks early in Chelmsford, Essex, baby Jude needed immediate life-saving attention before being placed on a ventilator and transferred to The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. To mark World Prematurity Day 2023, which takes place on 17 November, dad James Eddleston explains how Chestnut House kept him close to his son at the most difficult of times.
Having somewhere to stay close to Olly's hospital bedside was invaluable
When eight year old Olly Brooks went from running a cross country race to being on a ventilator in hospital in just 24 hours, our Eckersley House 'Home from Home' kept Helen and Tim close to their son during his treatment for heart failure
Guilford Street House really is our 'Home from Home' while Amelia waits for a new heart
Organ Donation Week 2023: After suffering heart failure last year aged one, Amelia Bolter has been a patient at Great Ormond Street Hospital since October 2022, waiting for a donor heart to become available. Amelia's mum Jodie - who arrived at Guilford Street House heavily pregnant but now has eight-month-old Blossom in tow - shares their story.
Without Scott House, I honestly don’t know what I would have done
As part of NHS Organ Donation Week 2023, we spoke with mum of eight Emma Austin from Shrewsbury, who we supported at our Scott House 'Home from Home' while her 13-year-old daughter Olivia underwent a heart transplant at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. Emma describes the donor heart as “an incredible gift” that has provided Olivia with the chance of a normal life after a decade of struggle.
We owe it to Bea’s donor to continue talking about child organ donation
Organ Donation Week 2023: Following his daughter Beatrix's long awaited heart transplant in June, dad Terry Archbold brings us up to speed on her journey and his ongoing desire to raise awareness about child organ donation.
It was so great having Magnolia House to rely on, it made a huge difference
Olivia Cooke’s baby son Jude suffered numerous seizures at Scunthorpe General Hospital before being transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital for specialist care, where our ‘Home from Home’ supported the family free of charge throughout that time.
Scott House became a sanctuary, a place where you could catch your breath
When one year old Lola Plimmer was transferred by air ambulance from Birmingham Children's Hospital to the Freeman Hospital needing a heart transplant, The Sick Children's Trust's Scott House 'Home from Home' supported mum Ella throughout her time in Newcastle
I can’t ever say anything bad about The Sick Children’s Trust, I just appreciate them so much
Born in 2012 with numerous cardiac complications that may never be resolved, Lucas Whitworth has undergone various heart surgeries at Leeds Children's Hospital. Mum Melissa Petrillo shares her story about how Eckersley House has supported her down the years.
My eight year old son has required 39 operations since birth, Eckersley House has supported us from the beginning
Archie was born six weeks premature and has required multiple surgeries for lifelong conditions as a result. We've been supporting his mum Caroline at Eckersley House so they could always be together.