Morrisons Foundation has given Demelza £9,005 to support our end of life care at home in East Sussex service.

Being able to offer families choice about where to spend the final days or moments with their child is so important, this could be in hospital, at home or at the hospice. We are able to provide expert clinical support and offer a very personalised service to each family with an element of choice.

The generous donation will fund a cuddle cot and cold cover for our end of life care at home service. It will give families the choice to keep their child at home for a short period of time following their death. A cuddle cot is a moses basket that has a cooling unit within it for a baby who has died at home. A cold cover has a cooling unit within it, which can be placed over a child or young person’s body once they have died. It can be placed under a blanket or duvet, so is hidden. 

When a baby, child or young person dies at home, some families need to be able to say goodbye in their own time and in their own way. For these families, having the choice to keep their child at home for a limited amount of time is an essential part of their grieving process. End of life care at home for children and young people is a specialist service, provided by Demelza in conjunction with other specialist teams.

Our care team help families organise their thoughts and wishes when their child is dying. Some may choose to come to our hospices for end of life care and some will stay at home, requiring support from our care at home team. A cuddle cot or cold cover allows families the chance to say goodbye in the way they choose, which is hugely important to help families grieve properly. 

Donna Mole, Registered Nurse said: “We currently have to borrow this equipment should a family request it, but having our own will mean that we can make sure we always have it available if needed. This will help us to further support the families we work with who are going through one of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

Adrian Horsley, Morrisons Foundation Advisor said: "I'm very pleased that we have been able to support families who receive care from Demelza Hospice Care for Children. The vital work the charity delivers to children and their families from all across the region really does make a huge difference and I'm very proud that the Morrisons Foundation were able to help."

To find out more about our care at home service please visit our webpage or alternatively you can make a referral to access our services.