As Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice, The Princess of Wales has issued a statement to mark this year’s Children’s Hospice Week.
The Princess has held the EACH Patronage since 2012 and was one of her first since she married Prince William in 2011, whilst she became Patron of Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice earlier this year.
The Princess opens her statement by acknowledging that ‘no parent expects to hear that their child has a serious health condition that could shorten their life’, but notes that ‘sadly, this is the reality faced by thousands of families across the country, leaving them heart-broken, fearful of the future and often desperately isolated’.
Through the work of her Patronages, Catherine states that she has had the ‘immense privilege of seeing for myself the extraordinary work of our children’s hospices’, in how they support families and children ‘through life, death and beyond’ by ‘lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play, as well as listening’.
Catherine concludes her message by asking everyone to join her in ‘celebrating the life-changing work they do and thanking them for the vital care they provide to children and families experiencing the most challenging times’.
The Princess has echoed similar statements in previous years, calling staff ‘dedicated and inspirational’.
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.
