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As Jersey Hospice Care expands their services to all ages, they are inviting islanders to join them in making moments that matter next week to mark Children's Hospice Week.
The awareness campaign is organised by Together for Short Lives, the UK charity for children’s palliative care, to recognise the care provided by Hospices to children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families.
This is the first time Jersey Hospice Care is getting involved in the campaign. Dr Natalie Kemp, Paediatric Doctor at Jersey Hospice Care, explained: "We started our journey to expand our care to include children and young people with life limiting conditions this year, leading with our emotional support service. To date we have received 16 referrals for children and young people with life limiting conditions. We cannot change the diagnosis but we can help to make a difference, supporting young people to make moments that matter, alongside the support already offered by other organisations and charities on the island.
"The theme of this year’s campaign, Life’s short, is something we all say. We say it when we want to do something fun, maybe something a bit silly or when we take a chance. But when it’s on behalf of children with life limiting conditions, it reminds us all to make the most of life."
The inspiration for the campaign came from Alastair McAlpine who is a Paediatric Doctor in South Africa. For an assignment, he asked some of his terminal paediatric patients what they enjoyed in life and what gave it meaning. He then tweeted the most common replies in February 2018, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes and retweets.
Take home message:
— Alastair McAlpine (@AlastairMcA30) February 1, 2018
Be kind. Read more books. Spend time with your family. Crack jokes. Go to the beach. Hug your dog. Tell that special person you love them.
These are the things these kids wished they could've done more. The rest is details.
Oh... and eat ice-cream. /End
Hospices across the UK are asking their supporters, the general public and high profile figures to share their Life’s Short moments that matter on social media. Jersey Hospice is encouraging islanders to answer two questions : ‘what do you enjoy most in life and why’ and ‘what do you wish you could do more of and why’ and to post their answers on our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) during the week, using the hashtag #LifesShort and #CHWJersey.
Pictured: The Million Pound Lottery are £300 each.
Jersey Hospice Care’s Chairman, Julie Coward, said: "It’s wonderful to be able to offer everyone in the local community a chance to win a life changing amount of money. Remember to buy your tickets early! Last year, they sold out in just six weeks.
"This year, in support of the extension of our services to children and young people and their families, we hope to sell 7,000 tickets. Our thanks go to de Gruchy and NatWest for hosting us this year and to all the volunteers who help sell tickets and donate their time to this event."
John Marquis, Store Director of de Gruchy, added: "De Gruchy is delighted to be supporting Jersey Hospice Care again this year. It’s a great privilege to be able to facilitate the sales of tickets for the Million Pound Lottery and sponsor the Early Bird prize draw."
The tickets are £300 and a total of £1,300,000 will be given away in prize money, with £1 million as the first prize, followed by prizes of £100,000, £75,000, £50,000, £25,000 and five prizes of £10,000 to lucky ticket holders.
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