As Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice, The Princess of Wales has issued a letter for Children’s Hospices Week, highlighting ‘the truly extraordinary teamwork that goes into providing this incredible care’.
The Princess has held the Patronage since 2012 and was one of her first since she married Prince William in 2011.
The Princess of Wales has supported children’s hospices since entering the Royal Family. (Kensington Palace)
The Princess opens her letter by acknowledging how there are ‘99,000 seriously ill children across the country’ but children’s hospices who ‘work tirelessly to provide life-changing care to families with the aim of making unbelievably difficult situations that little bit easier’.
‘As Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, I have been privileged to see first-hand the incredible way hospices help families and allow children to be children’.
The Princess of Wales is Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice. (Kensington Royal)
Catherine notes how this week – 19th-25th June – will be like any other week where ‘all hospices will be doing what they do day in day out – delivering vital specialist care’.
She has felt ‘privileged to see first-hand the incredible way hospices help families and allow children to be children’, whether that is taking children for ‘a day at the beach for children to feel the sand between their toes, engaging young people in therapeutic music activities, or having a fun painting session to create special moments and memories’.
Kate praises ‘the teams supporting these families regularly go above and beyond to make a difference to their lives, no longer how long or short they may be’ and notes how staff and hospices are a ‘shining light to so many’.
The Royal signed off the letter: ‘This Children’s Hospice Week, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the truly extraordinary teamwork that goes into providing this incredible care.’
Catherine has echoed similar statements in previous years, calling staff ‘dedicated and inspirational’.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), to meet families who are receiving support as well as long serving staff members in Milton, Cambridgeshire
Last year, The Prince and Princess of Wales visited East Anglia Children’s Hospices at Milton to mark the annual week. It was the first time William had accompanied Catherine to the hospice organisation. The couple were given a tour of the hospice, where they met children, young people and families who use services through EACH. They got stuck in to the arts and crafts session.
In 2020, The Princess of Wales and The Queen took part in a rare joint engagement with three of their patronages, and a recently-bereaved family to mark Children’s Hospice Week. Camilla and Catherine discussed the care that hospice staff provide to children with life-limiting and conditions, as well as the way children’s hospices are able to create positive environments and happy memories during the most difficult of times for families.
