0:00:11 > 0:00:13For any child with an illness,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16staying in hospital can be a frightening experience.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19It's a feeling I remember all too well.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22When I was three years old I had an illness
0:00:22 > 0:00:23which meant I had
0:00:23 > 0:00:27to spend a lot of time at Sheffield Children's Hospital.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I was fortunate in that my family lived nearby
0:00:29 > 0:00:31and were able to come in and look after me.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Unfortunately not all children are so lucky
0:00:34 > 0:00:38to have their families nearby when they're seriously ill in hospital.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41And as a parent I know how terrible it would be
0:00:41 > 0:00:45to be unable to be in hospital with my child when they needed me most.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48This is Elsie.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Just after her second birthday she was rushed into hospital
0:00:51 > 0:00:53when her health suddenly deteriorated.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Doctors soon confirmed her family's worst fears.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00She was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02My husband and I
0:01:02 > 0:01:04just broke down into tears,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07which was the beginning of a lot of tears.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11I was completely terrified for my daughter.
0:01:11 > 0:01:16We immediately said, "Is she going to die?"
0:01:16 > 0:01:19And the doctors won't say no to that question,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21but we had to try and be calm
0:01:21 > 0:01:25because we had a very young child, and she was frightened.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Elsie's best chance of survival
0:01:29 > 0:01:31meant she needed to be rushed to a specialist unit
0:01:31 > 0:01:3670 miles away at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39The treatment would involve four or five rounds
0:01:39 > 0:01:41of very hard-hitting chemotherapy.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46Which would mean pretty much continuous hospitalisation
0:01:46 > 0:01:49for a period of six months.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52She was in an absolutely terrible state.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56There was so many nights where I thought
0:01:56 > 0:01:59she's not going to make it through tonight, she's too weak.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Not only did the family have to come to terms with Elsie's illness,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07but how they would cope practically and financially
0:02:07 > 0:02:09to be constantly by their daughter's side,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12miles away from home.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15We felt absolutely that as parents we had to be there,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17by her bedside.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19'Are you listening to Teddy's chest?'
0:02:19 > 0:02:21And to complicate things
0:02:21 > 0:02:24I was nearly eight months pregnant at the time,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and we had a business,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29so we had to think about how we could pay our bills.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33It just seemed totally insurmountable,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35just didn't know what to do.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39For many children with a serious illness, the best possible care
0:02:39 > 0:02:42is in specialist centres around the country.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44And this may involve travelling to hospitals
0:02:44 > 0:02:45that are a long way from home
0:02:45 > 0:02:47adding an extra burden
0:02:47 > 0:02:50to what is already an extremely distressing time.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52This is where The Sick Children's Trust helps.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55They are a charity working to keep families together
0:02:55 > 0:02:59by providing free home-from-home accommodation.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07Last year eight-year-old Enna was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Me and my husband
0:03:09 > 0:03:13were just crying and cuddling her,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and you are scared, you're numb, and you can't stop crying
0:03:16 > 0:03:18because you think, "How long have I got left with her?"
0:03:18 > 0:03:22We thought she was going to die.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23I'm sorry.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29Just two days later Enna underwent surgery to remove the tumour.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32But this was just the start of the family's ordeal.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35It would be a 16-month process,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and Enna would have to have radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43It's horrendous to see your child be strapped into
0:03:43 > 0:03:46a plastic mask that is completely immovable.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48It is not nice.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And Enna wanted Mum and Dad there with her,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53she wanted us both to be very close.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56As an out-patient Enna would initially have to travel
0:03:56 > 0:04:00for miles every day from home to undergo treatment.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04In between her being sick and throwing up,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06travelling up and down in a car
0:04:06 > 0:04:09would not have made her feel any better at all.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13So of course practicalities start jumping in and you are thinking,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16"Where are we going to stay? What are we going to do?
0:04:16 > 0:04:17"How much would it cost us as a family?"
0:04:19 > 0:04:21They faced the prospect of not being able
0:04:21 > 0:04:24to stay together as a family to support their daughter
0:04:24 > 0:04:26when she needed them.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30But fortunately there was a charity close at hand to help.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33The Sick Children's Trust
0:04:33 > 0:04:37have eight houses like this one across the UK
0:04:37 > 0:04:40that can accommodate up to 116 families a night,
0:04:40 > 0:04:41every day of the year.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44They provide a warm, comfortable and relaxing environment
0:04:44 > 0:04:48for families who need to be near their child every step of the way.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Joy is the house manager at Acorn House,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55just one of The Sick Children's Trust's
0:04:55 > 0:04:58homes from home at Addenbrooke's Hospital.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Acorn House is a sanctuary for families,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02because it gives them their private room
0:05:02 > 0:05:04where they can gather their thoughts,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06there is a lovely lounge,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08playroom,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10huge big kitchen-cum-dining room.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12It gives them
0:05:12 > 0:05:15reassurance they are minutes away from their sick child
0:05:15 > 0:05:18when they're going through such a traumatic time.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21As well as providing practical assistance
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Jo and her team are on hand to provide emotional support.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Whether they want to cry, share their experience with us,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30or just sit and relax and have a cup of coffee,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33we are here whatever they need.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35They can talk to other families that are in the same situation,
0:05:35 > 0:05:39and that is reassuring for them, because they realise
0:05:39 > 0:05:42they are not the only ones going through this.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Over the last 30 years
0:05:44 > 0:05:47The Sick Children's Trust has helped over 40,000 families
0:05:47 > 0:05:49offering support and stability
0:05:49 > 0:05:51and enabling them to stay together
0:05:51 > 0:05:55at exactly the time they need each other the most.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59The Sick Children's Trust enabled Charlotte and her family
0:05:59 > 0:06:01to stay by Elsie's side for the entire time
0:06:01 > 0:06:03she was being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06I can see you.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Without the Sick Children's Trust
0:06:08 > 0:06:12I just don't know how we could have survived that period.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Emotionally, financially, practically.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Let me see some pictures.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And during their stay
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Acorn House became the first home for their new baby.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29They call it a home from home, and it really is.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34It was about being right there, all together, as a family.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37And that's what The Sick Children's Trust enabled us to do.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And that's how we got through.
0:06:41 > 0:06:42After nine months of treatment
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Elsie has now made a remarkable recovery.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49She's just learnt to swim.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55She just did all the races at sports day.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58She's a really amazing little girl.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04For 16 months every time Enna needed treatment
0:07:04 > 0:07:09The Sick Children's Trust was there for her and her family.
0:07:09 > 0:07:16They just said, "There's a room, it's fine, come and stay with us,"
0:07:16 > 0:07:18and it makes the whole thing a little bit more bearable.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21And they sort of go through the journey with you.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22They're just amazing people.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Just last month Enna finished her final treatment of chemotherapy,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and is now well on the way to recovery.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We're just looking forward to getting on with our lives,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37and we just so grateful that she's going to be OK,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39we can't explain really how grateful we are
0:07:39 > 0:07:41to everybody who has helped us along the way.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The Sick Children's Trust helps over 3,000 families a year,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49but with their waiting list growing every day
0:07:49 > 0:07:52the charity desperately needs to open more houses
0:07:52 > 0:07:54to help families stay together,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and this is where you can make a real difference.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Please go to the website bbc.co.uk/lifeline
0:08:02 > 0:08:04where you can make a donation.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09If you don't have access to the internet than call 0800 011 011.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And if you can't get through, please keep trying.
0:08:12 > 0:08:19You can also donate £10 by texting GIVE to 70121.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Texts costs £10 plus your standard network message charge
0:08:23 > 0:08:27and the whole £10 goes to The Sick Children's Trust.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32Full terms and conditions can be found at bbc.co.uk/lifeline.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Telephone calls are free from most land lines,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39some networks and mobile operators will charge for these calls.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Or if you'd like to post a donation
0:08:41 > 0:08:43please make your cheque payable to The Sick Children's Trust
0:08:43 > 0:08:48and send it to Freepost, BBC Lifeline Appeal,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50writing The Sick Children's Trust on the back of the envelope.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Remember, if you are a UK taxpayer
0:08:52 > 0:08:57the charity can collect Gift Aid on your donation worth another 25%.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58Just send in a note
0:08:58 > 0:09:01to say you want your donation to be subject Gift Aid
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and include the date, your full name and address.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Thank you very much.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd