Parents and carers on our children’s ward at Queen’s Hospital are now being served meals thanks to support and funding from a charity.

Hospital stays can be difficult times for children and their loved ones. Having to leave to get food is an added challenge.

Now, parents and carers of inpatients on Tropical Lagoon ward are being offered breakfast and dinner every day of their stay to help make them more comfortable and relieve some of the pressure.

It helps the children as well, knowing that they have their loved ones with them throughout their stay. This change was all made possible by Sophie’s Legacy.

The charity was set up in memory of Sophie Fairall, pictured above, who died aged 10 from a rare form of childhood cancer. Sophie’s experiences in hospital led to her creating a bucket list of things she wanted to change with one of them being parents to be fed on the children’s ward.

Sophie’s mum, Charlotte Fairall, pictured third from left in top image, created Sophie’s Legacy to fulfil her wishes. Hospitals were invited to apply for the funding and Queen’s Hospital was selected as one of 15 across the country.

Charlotte said:

It was really important to us that we spread Sophie’s message and get parents in hospitals fed as it helps ease stress and financial burden.

To have a hot meal as well as breakfast will make a huge different to these families.

Our Head of Children’s Nursing, Emily Bell, expressed how glad she is to be able to support children and their parents or carers.

Emily said:

The support of Sophie’s Legacy enables us to support our families during what can be very difficult times when their child needs them with them more than ever.

With the collaboration from Sophie’s Legacy charity and Charlotte, the staff on Tropical Lagoon and our catering provider Sodexo, we have been able to make a big difference to the families.