Why your gift means so much
Every family raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young adult should have the same choices, quality of life, opportunities and aspirations as any other family. We try to make this happen every day by providing the essential grants and services families tell us they urgently need and couldn’t otherwise afford.
Four in five families that we support have no savings at all. If essential items like beds, fridges and washing machines break, families can’t replace them. 51% of parents and carers are skipping or cut the size of their meals and 1 in 3 can’t afford to keep their homes warm. No family should have to choose between heating, eating and caring for their child.
Write your free will with Family FundA gift in your will can make a difference to a child like Kyle
Sixteen-year-old Kyle lives in Dorset and was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome as a toddler. His mum Shareena shares how tough his childhood was:
“He spent many days in pain, crying and there were many hospital stays. He had trouble with his legs, needing leg splits and leg casting throughout his life.
“There were some years in Kyle’s childhood where I couldn’t work because of his health needs and the number of appointments. Our family lived week-to-week, struggling to afford petrol to get us to hospital.”
A Family Fund grant changed his life
“Family Fund granted Kyle a laptop so he could do his GCSEs. He can’t hold a pen and has unreadable handwriting, so the laptop allows him to do his revision and coursework. He became so much more confident, and he’s just finished his GCSEs. His teachers are positive he’ll do well. It gives him independence, and I can see the difference in him. Nowhere has helped our family more than Family Fund.”
Help for the family to cope
“When our washing machine broke, money was tight, and we had nothing to fall back on. We applied to Family Fund, and they replaced our washing machine. At the time Kyle used to wet the bed due to his weak muscles, so we would go through so much washing. The new washing machine was a god send.”
Your gift can help a family like Mikey’s
Chevonne and partner George received a grant which changed daily life for son Mikey and their children Mika and Sky:
“Mikey is twelve and has a tracheostomy and a ventilator to help him with his breathing. He’s got a Central Venous Catheter through which he’s fed. He has ta special feed because his body doesn’t absorb any nutrients at all. He also has a stoma bag.
“He requires 24/7 care with two people at all times, one of them being a qualified nurse. I worked before Mikey was born but now I’m his full-time carer. We do struggle financially. It’s all about the electricity bill because Mikey needs so much equipment just to keep him alive.”
Easing caring pressure
“When we started taking Mikey out, we had to always carry oxygen cylinders and heavy bags with us. Family Fund gave us money towards getting a new push chair, as ours wouldn’t have been able to cope.
“We also got grants for clothing and bedding which were a big help, because everything needs changing most days due to the stoma bag leaks. It was getting too much to wash and dry it all.
“I was very lucky that a nurse told me about Family Fund. They’re understanding of everyone’s situation and will help where they possibly can.”
To find out more about leaving a gift in your will to Family Fund, or to tell us about a gift you’ve included in your will, please fill in the form below.