Donate nowDiana Children's Community Service appeal

Prior to 1998, specialist children's nurses were only available in hospitals. We were lucky to be selected as one of 10 counties to have Diana nurses, so named after Princess Diana, as the teams were set up as her legacy. Over the past 25 years the team has grown to include physiotherapists, phlebotomists and play specialists to provide holistic care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses (including end of life care) in their homes and community settings. The team also provide support to the parents and siblings of the poorly child. 

Our fundraising appeal aims to boost the equipment and activities available to support poorly children and their families, keeping them together at home. With your help we can make a real difference to the lives of local people at a really difficult time.

Read about how the Diana Team helped Elliott (pictured above) to cope with wearing port-a-cath in his chest, after years of hospital admissions left him anxious and fearful.

Watch this short film about the difference the Diana Team have made to Kaleb and his family. 

What the appeal will buy

When deciding what to include in the appeal, members of the team were asked what would have the greatest impact on the care they provide to local children and their families. They were asked to only select items which are over and above what is possible within NHS budgets:

• End of life bundles - all the essential items immediately available when a request for end of life care comes into the on-call team.
• Additional end of life items - fingerprint keepsake items, cooling equipment for after a child has passed away at home, leaflets and resource folders for families. 
• Days out for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions who are receiving respite care from the Diana Team. 
• Port-a-cath and Hickman line demo dolls - wearing a chest line can be a scary prospect but the demo dolls have proven to help children understand the procedure and equipment which reduces their anxiety. 
• Memory boxes - for children and their families to create memories to be treasured after the child has passed away.