My husband and I have stayed at The Sick Children’s Trust’s Acorn House three times in the last year ...

My husband and I have stayed at The Sick Children’s Trust’s Acorn House three times in the last year and it really has been invaluable to us on our visits to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with our daughter. Our first and longest stay at Acorn House was for 30 days in which the house really did become our home. Ivy was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at only one year old and some months later was also diagnosed with epilepsy. She had been on medication for this and had suffered mild seizures. However in January of last year, Ivy suffered a severe seizure and was rushed to hospital. Doctors now suspect that Ivy has a genetic condition in addition to Cerebral Palsy. Since the seizure Ivy, has had a reduced quality of life and limited abilities. It would be extremely rare for a child to have both conditions but it is not impossible. We were heartbroken about the prospects of this, our funny joyful little girl had vanished overnight and we had a different child now with even more care needs that we could not make comfortable. It was hard to get through each day and we were constantly distraught. The Sick Children’s Trust provides private accommodation for families with sick children who are in hospital undergoing treatment. The charity runs eight ‘Homes from Home’ around the UK close by to six major children’s hospitals in the country. Without Acorn House we would not have coped, we live 1 hour drive from Cambridge, and we never wanted to leave Ivy alone. As a parent when your child is unwell the thought of leaving them alone in their most vulnerable state is unimaginable. I am self-employed, which meant that I did not earn when Ivy was in hospital, this meant we needed to control our spending. If we didn’t have Acorn House we would have spent huge amounts on accommodation and living expenses. To have Acorn House to get some respite was like being in a wonderful hotel. One of us would always rest while the other could stay by Ivy’s bed side. Ivy does not sleep well, and during her hospitalization her sleep was limited to about six hours. It was always reassuring to know that the nurse could directly call our room if there was the slightest change in Ivy’s condition. This was especially important when Ivy was unconscious and on a ventilator, it took Ivy six days to open her eyes. I really believe that if we had not been able to rest during Ivy’s hospital stays, we would not have been able to promote a positive vibe to her which definitely helped and still helps her recovery. We also made some really good friends while staying at the house. Every family staying in the house was going through the same experience, and so it helped to talk and realise that you were not alone. Joy, the house manager and her team were amazing, she always had a smile and was always there to help with everything. Acorn House gave us the strength to cope with the intense stress and worry. Towards the end of Ivy’s hospitalization we were even able to bring her to the house. This was so helpful when we needed to pack and prepare to leave. After a month, just being able to cross the road and sit in an armchair with her made a huge difference. Ivy now three years old, is still very unwell, but she is recovering slowly. We spend every second of the day working to rehabilitate her and fight for the best medical treatment available. We pray that the future is brighter for her now. Before Ivy became ill I knew nothing about The Sick Children’s Trust, but now I cannot imagine what we would have done while Ivy was in hospital without them or what we would do in future if they were not there for us. We cannot thank them enough. Jenny Knight, Ivy’s Mum