Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice gave out some extra TLC on National Siblings Day (April 10).

Siblings aged 12 and over were invited to an evening of fun and pampering alongside their older brothers and sisters who are cared for by the North Anston hospice.

 

Bluebell Wood supports children and young adults with life-shortening and life-threatening conditions, and their families. Their expert sibling team provides one-to-one and group support for brothers and sisters at the hospice and in schools. They also give brothers and sisters the chance to meet for workshops and family fun days, where they get to know other children who are going through similar experiences.

 

The National Siblings Day event was organised by the sibling team in partnership with the transition team, which supports young adults at the hospice. Young people at the event got a chance to play music with the hospice Music Therapist, challenge their brother or sister to a competitive game of pool, get their nails painted, and decorate a canvas to take home with them. All while their parents and carers enjoyed a get-together in the family lounge.

 

Antonia Fox, 17, is one of the young adults who enjoyed Wednesday’s events with her older brother, Josh, 21, who visits the hospice for respite. She and her brother and really close, and they enjoyed painting a canvas of David Bowie together. She said: “We visit Bluebell Wood a lot and we really love coming here, especially for activities like these with the care team.”

 

“It was great to be able to give the children and young people we support some extra special time to spend with their brothers and sisters,” said the hospice’s Sibling Support Co-ordinator, Amy Panton.

 

“I don’t usually like using the word ‘normal’ but that’s what it felt like – time for brothers and sisters to just be together and have fun. It was a great chance for us to bring together our sibling and young adult teams and focus on providing fantastic support. Joining in this national day with such a fun, laid back event and we are really looking forward to doing other events like these in the future.”

 

For more ideas to help the 300 children and young adults at Bluebell Wood whose lives are just too short, please visit www.bluebellwood.org.