It’s Hospice Care Week when the work of hospices throughout Wales, and the wider UK, is recognised and celebrated. 

Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice is one of only two children’s hospices in Wales, the other being Hope House Tŷ Gobaith in North Wales. The services of both hospices are available throughout Wales and are free of charge to any family that needs them.

Here are a few key facts about Tŷ Hafan and our work:

  • We’re currently supporting 352 children with life-shortening conditions
  • Since we first opened our doors in 1999, we have supported 1,051 children with life-shortening conditions and their families in Wales
  • Life-shortened means that the child or young person is not expected to live beyond 18 years old.
  • The average age of a child referred to us in the past 12 months is just one year old.
  • We provide specialist palliative care to support the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of each member of the family. From diagnosis to bereavement, we are there for the whole family as long as they need us.
  • The majority of our work is about “quality of life” rather than “end of life”. We aim to “make a short life a full life”.
  • We offer families end-of-life care, and services such as family support, complementary therapy, music therapy and outreach play both within the hospice and in the family home.
  • A child and his/her family can be referred to us at the time of diagnosis with care and support being provided throughout the course of the child’s condition, which can be for many years.
  • The children and young people who access our services have a broad range of conditions, many with profound and complex medical needs. Some of the conditions are so rare they haven’t been named.
  • It costs around £5.6 million every year (circa £15,275 a day) to provide our care services to children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families, at our hospice in Sully, near Cardiff, and in homes and community settings across Wales.
  • 88% of our care costs are generated by donations from the generous public in Wales and beyond, via a range of fundraising activities – including community and corporate events, legacies, and, our commercial activities includig our lottery and shops. The remainder of our care costs are received via statutory sources in Wales.

To find out more about Tŷ Hafan and how you can support our work this #HospiceCareWeek and beyond click here to read the latest edition of our magazine Cwtch.