Demelza launches Christmas Appeal

That’s why Demelza’s Christmas Appeal 2024 is focusing on making THIS Christmas extraordinary for the children and families it supports. The appeal aims to raise £70,000 and features one-year-old Jude and his family.

When Jude’s mum Heidi was pregnant in 2023, she and her partner Ryan were told Jude could die within days, if not hours, of being born.

When Jude was born, he went straight into Intensive Care and the family was supported by Demelza staff who advised on end-of-life care. But Jude surprised everyone and kept on improving, so the conversations changed to how Demelza could support the family in the longer term.

Heidi said: “We are so excited as we approach our second Christmas with Jude as last year he was so poorly we couldn’t do any of the things we had planned. This year we’ll be making the most of every single moment and these things feel more significant because we didn’t think Jude would see his first Christmas, let alone his second.

“Jude does have an incredibly complex medical condition and we don’t know what the future holds, but right now he’s learning and developing at his own pace. Demelza is a great support and as Jude gets older, we know Demelza will always be here for us, whatever happens.”

Throughout the Christmas period, Demelza hosts a series of festive events for the children and families it supports, each one incorporating sensory activities, arts and crafts and music. From visiting Father Christmas at a fully accessible grotto to festive craft cafes where parents and carers can come together to get creative – there is lots on offer to help families make precious memories.

There is also a sold out Festive Elf Trail and market taking place this weekend to raise funds towards the appeal and tickets for Demelza’s annual Celebration of Christmas at Canterbury Cathedral are also on sale.

Most importantly at this time of year, Demelza will continue to provide extraordinary care to children with serious or life-limiting conditions, as well as providing emotional support for their loved ones. The charity’s specialist nursing, care, family liaison, therapist and counselling teams support families from first diagnosis and for as long as they are needed.

Demelza support more than 2,500 children and their family members, relying almost entirely on the generosity of its supporters to provide funding for its outstanding clinical care and bespoke emotional support and therapies.

Demelza’s Chief Executive, Lavinia Jarrett, said: “Not knowing how much time a family has together can make planning for next year, or even just tomorrow, incredibly emotional and overwhelming. That’s why we want to make THIS Christmas extraordinary for the families we support.

“Every donation, no matter how small, has a big impact on the lives of the children and families we support and will help make this Christmas magical for families who don’t know what next Christmas will hold.

“Please donate to help create memories today that will last a lifetime.”