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At Family Fund, we know that you know your child best. This is why we offer flexibility on the grant items or breaks you can apply for for your family. We spoke to Hazel’s mum, Aria, about her family and how she chose to use their Family Fund grant.
Tell us about your family
“Jago, our eldest, is very soft and quiet and likes to play independently with his cars. He is undergoing an autism diagnosis. Hazel was born a couple of years later eventually, she was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). In the future, she will need a kidney transplant.
“Hazel’s kidneys are the size of a teenager’s. So her stomach is always very large and she can struggle to walk for too long. Despite this, Hazel is very strong and stubborn. She doesn’t want people to think she’s weak!”
How did Family Fund help?
“For years we’d been saving up to go to an event in London hosted by the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, to meet with other families affected by PKD. We have a lot of additional costs like increased water usage for Hazel to keep her clean and stop infections. So it is hard to save. When we heard about Family Fund, we applied so that we could attend one of the PKD meet-ups.”
“We were over the moon when we heard we got the grant, and announced it on Christmas day to the children.”
“Our family used the grant to stay over for two nights in London. We attended the meet-up for one day, and did some sight-seeing on the other. This was perfect because London is Jago’s special interest, and we knew they would both love it. Jago was delighted as we saw roadworks, the Big Ben, the London eye… He was in his element.
“The PKD day was very emotional for us. We could talk to other parents who understood what we were going through, and who we’d been getting to know for five years. We left feeling knowledgeable and empowered.
“This was something we wouldn’t have been able to do without Family Fund’s support. We tried to save up before, but other things always got in the way.”
We want to hear how you used your Family Fund grant.
Alongside giving grants, we offer families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, on a low income, wider support, including information and resources on where to go for help with money and benefits, budget planning, their children's education, mental health and wellbeing, digital training and creative workshops.
