Why take part in Nurses’ Steps?

In 2010, Victoria and Lewis had their first daughter, Heidi. She was perfect, but at five weeks old she became seriously ill and was put on a life support machine. At this difficult time, Victoria and Lewis were introduced to Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice where they were able to spend precious time with Heidi doing all the little things families do together like sitting in the garden, having a picnic, and bathing and dressing their little girl. Heidi died in her sleep laying between her Mum and Dad with them cuddling her.

A year later, Amelie was born and she was perfect. The doctors said that Heidi’s condition must have been a one-off, so when Eloise was born two years after, in 2013, they felt positive. Sadly, history repeated itself and after five weeks, Eloise was showing the same symptoms as Heidi, and they once again found themselves at Chestnut Tree House.

The family were able to spend over three weeks together, having the opportunity to live as a family and to create special, lasting memories. For Victoria and Lewis, it was the little things the staff at Chestnut Tree House did for them like finding a pushchair so they could walk together in the gardens, providing nourishing, home-cooked meals, and enabling them to snuggle up together on the sofa to watch TV. Amelie was able to join them and ride her bike and play football and the whole family was able to swim together in the hydrotherapy pool. And when Eloise died, they stayed at the House until her funeral, spending time together and saying their goodbyes.