Family Raises Thousands for Francis House Children’s Hospice That Cared For Daughter In Her Final Days
The Harrison family has raised over £10,000 for Francis House Children’s Hospice, a charity that provided care and support to their daughter, Alex, during her final days.
In 2018, Alex, who was just six years old at the time, was diagnosed with a stage 4 medulloblastoma, a children’s brain tumour. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries and rounds of treatment, Alex tragically passed away on July 4th, 2024, at the age of 13.
During her illness, Alex found solace in drawing and painting, and even organized a cake sale at her school to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. Her parents, Paul Harrison and Kathryn Dainty, described her as a “bright, fun-loving child” who loved her family, friends, and animals.
In the weeks leading up to her death, Alex was cared for at home by nurses from Francis House’s homecare team, Macmillan, and community nurses. They managed her pain and symptoms, and even engaged in memory-making activities with her.
“When Alex was taken ill, the nurses came out every day to see her. They managed her symptoms, and it was invaluable because we couldn’t have coped with that. We also didn’t want her dying in hospital so when she did die, we came straight to Francis House and their special facilities,” said Paul.
Francis House Children’s Hospice offers support and care to families of children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. They aim to provide the best quality of life for these children and their families, supporting them throughout the illness and after death.
One of the facilities offered by Francis House is the Rainbow Room, which is a specially cooled room that allows the child to remain at the hospice after death until the funeral. This room provides families with space and privacy to say their final goodbyes.
“I had heard of Francis House and known about it for years,” said Paul. “But I never knew the Rainbow Room was there, I never really wanted to think about that sort of facility either. But when we needed it, it was there, and I don’t know what we’d have done otherwise.”
In the months following Alex’s death, Paul and Kathryn continued to receive support from Francis House through their bereavement services. This support inspired Paul to participate in a fundraising walk for the hospice.
On June 22, which would have been Alex’s 14th birthday, Paul and Kathryn, along with 35 friends and family, took part in the Francis House Cheshire Three Peaks Challenge. The walk, which had two routes of 13.6 miles and 6.5 miles, raised over £6,000 for the hospice.
“We would like to thank everyone who joined us on the walk or donated in a fitting way to celebrate Alex’s birthday. We are incredibly proud of the huge amount of money people have raised in Alex’s name. Francis House is a fitting charity as they cared for Alex at home while she was dying, coming to our house to make sure she was comfortable and pain-free,” said Paul.
In addition to the walk, the Harrison family also raised funds through Alex’s funeral, bike rides, and half marathons. They hope to continue supporting Francis House and the important work they do for families like theirs.
The Cheshire Three Peaks Challenge takes place every June, and for more information on how to support Francis House, visit their website at https://www.francishouse.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.