P e r s o n a l sto ry: H a rry Wa rw i c k e r
HELP AND SUPPORT AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE Personal story: Harry Warwicker the best place for Harry’s 13-year-old sister Rhianne to stay was with Sam’s sister and her family. “Rianne’s dad – my ex – couldn’t have her because he works and has health issues of his own,” explains Sam, “So that’s when my sister stepped in. She and her husband are always there to give us support when we need it, and Harry and Rhianne get on really well with their three cousins. Under normal circumstance it’s the ideal solution.” Once Harry was home from the Evelina, though, lockdown was in full swing, meaning it was a couple of weeks before Rhianne could come home. “My brother in law works in a supermarket and the fear was, if he picked something up, and passed it on to Rhianne, she might pass it on to Harry. All we could do was sit it out for two weeks apart until we were as sure as we could be that everyone was ok. It was tough to be apart but, ultimately, we knew it was the sensible thing to do for the sake of all our health – but especially Harry’s.”
One Northfleet family has experienced for themselves the vital support that ellenor offers in all sorts of circumstances – including the current pandemic - and to both children and adults.
During this very anxious time, the ellenor team, with whom the family has a very strong relationship, were always on hand to offer support and guidance. “Ellenor has been part of our lives since Harry was tiny,” says Samantha. “We’ve had a variety of nurses over the years, and they’ve all been great. Rebecca has worked with us for the past six months and we’ve got a real sense of trust – not just between her and Harry but between her and me, too. Sometimes you can really doubt yourself as parent – yes, you trust your gut instinct when it comes to your kids, but when you’re dealing with children with complex health issues you do need reassurance that you’re doing the right thing. Rebecca is always on hand to give me that reassurance.”
Ellenor is a charity that supports those coping with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The Covid-19 crisis has added an entirely unprecedented range of fears and challenges to their lives, and a new dimension to the importance of the care that ellenor offers. For the Warwicker-Woodgate family, for instance, it’s meant separation in the quest to As well as vital emotional support, the practical support keep everyone safe, with ellenor’s team on hand ellenor provides is invaluable too. From ensuring that to provide reassurance and practical support. there was a plan in place to help the family to cope with lockdown, to having all necessary medicines and Samantha Warwicker’s nine-year-old son, Harry prescriptions for Harry ready, Rebecca was there. Woodgate, has cerebral palsy with additional, “If I needed anything, I knew I only had to ask, and complex health needs. When he became unwell there were things I didn’t ask for but got anyway – like a with non-Covid-related complications just before much-needed food parcel from ellenor when we weren’t lockdown, he was sent to the Evelina children’s able to shop.” hospital in London. With Sam accompanying him,
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