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News

The Duchess visits Helen & Douglas House and The Royal School in Hampstead

27th June 2007

The Duchess of Cornwall visited a hospice in Oxford today for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.

Her Royal Highness attended Helen & Douglas House in Oxford, of which she is Patron, to meet children and other hospice guests, their families and support staff.

Her Royal Highness also opened a newly-designed garden to mark the hospice's 25th anniversary.

Helen & Douglas House is a registered charity providing respite and end of life care for children and young adults with life-shortening conditions, as well as support and friendship for the whole family.

The two hospice houses (Helen House for children and Douglas House for young people aged 16 – 40) are bright, vibrant and positive places, where the emphasis is on living life to the full, even when that life may be short.

Children can stay at Helen House and young adults can stay at Douglas House, along with their families, for short periods of time for rest and recuperation, treatment of distressing symptoms, end of life care and support.

During the visit Her Royal Highess spent time with children in a variety of specially designed rooms in both hospices. The Duchess also officially opened the new garden at the hospice and met guests, families and supporters.

At Helen House Her Royal Highness met Steve and Suzy Gibbard, whose daughter Molly died of liver and heart disease aged 10 months last year.

Mr Gibbard of Abingdon, said after showing The Duchess a picture of his late daughter: "We took Molly here to use the 'little room' after she died, rather than taking her to a mortuary or a morgue.

"It was nice to have a week here - me, Suzy and Molly, without all the wires and tubes she had at the hospital.

"She looked very peaceful. We were very fortunate to have this facility."

After talking to children doing arts and crafts, The Duchess was shown around neighbouring Douglas House, a hospice on the same site for terminally ill people aged 16 to 40.

Her Royal Highness met 21-year-old Down's Syndrome sufferer Christopher Horth, who put his arm around The Duchess as she posed for pictures.

Opening Helen House's 25th anniversary garden, The Duchess invited the children to come to Clarence House in London in December to help decorate the Christmas tree.

Helen House, built in 1982, is the world's first children's hospice. It was founded by Oxford nun Sister Frances Dominica. Douglas House, a hospice for young adults, was built in 2004. The charity, Helen & Douglas House, is funded almost entirely by donations.

Before visiting Oxford, The Duchess opened a summer art exhibition at The Royal School, a boarding school for girls in Hampstead, London, of which she is also Patron.

Click here to visit the Helen & Douglas House website.