It’s 30 years since the National Lottery became part of our lives and we’re fortunate to be one of the causes which has benefitted from Lottery funding during that time, our most recent award being received this year.
The grants we have received have been to support the work done by our Families Officer, Kate, and by our Young People’s Officer, Louise.
Kate is here to support parents and carers with any aspect of coping with a child with liver disease – from accessing financial support to concerns about missing school as one of our mums explains here:
“I wish we had known about the charity sooner. We spent a lot of lonely nights in hospital feeling scared when she was first born. Now we’ve found them we have support with benefits, they can answer questions and if they don’t know the answer, they find someone who does, it just takes a weight off our shoulders knowing they are there for us when we need them.”
The Lottery funding supports the work of Louise (left) and Kate (right) who are pictured here with Head of Children and Families Service, Michelle.
Louise provides a listening ear for all our young people from age 11 upwards, whether that’s 121 support on a particular issue, or being part of Hive, our secure social network, which one young member sums up beautifully here:
“HIVE has been amazing, because you get to speak to people who understand what it’s like to have a liver disease and go through processes such as transplantation as well as day to day life with liver disease. It’s been very helpful for me to be able to speak to people who fully understand any anxieties and symptoms of living with a liver disease, I’m so grateful for the group!”
The National Lottery funding does not end there. Grants given to our colleagues at the British Liver Trust have enabled expansion of the support network for patients in the North West, North East, the Midlands, and London, reaching more people affected by liver disease and liver cancer. More here
So, to all of you who enjoy a weekly flutter on the Lottery, you might not have made yourself a millionaire yet, but you are making a difference to other people’s lives. So thank you. And good luck!
