Date published: 03 July 2017 by Digital Team
Isle of Wight based charity Layla’s Trust has made a £12,000 donation to us to help fund the Island’s first Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker, dedicated to helping families caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness.
The appointment of the dedicated Isle of Wight Family Support Worker, Madelaine, follows a successful six-month trial by Rainbow Trust’s Southampton Care Team supporting families on the Island. Madeleine will provide emotional and practical support to families, helping them at home, in the local community and on the mainland when they visit Southampton General Hospital.
This dedicated support for families with seriously ill children has only been made possible due to the financial support from Layla’s Trust, set up in 2011 by Emma and Colman Cotter whose baby girl, Layla, died when she was just 10-weeks-old.
Emma Cotter from Layla’s Trust says,
“Supporting the Island community has unique challenges particularly if your child becomes seriously ill. Layla’s Trust is proud to have committed over £12,000 to help fund Madelaine’s valuable work as a Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker on the Island. We first approached Rainbow Trust back in 2012 to see whether they would be able to bring their services to the Island and now, after years of planning and negotiation, we are so pleased to have them here and that we are able to work together as a team for the betterment of our Island community.
At Layla’s Trust, we work to support bereaved families after a child has died and help families who have children with life limiting disabilities and terminal illnesses on the Island. Rainbow Trust has over 30 years’ experience supporting families with a seriously ill child, through its teams of Family Support Workers across England. We felt that Rainbow Trust was an ideal partner for us and together we aim to reach more families to help ease their journey when their child is very ill.”
Rainbow Trust’s Director of Care, Anne Harris said,
“We are delighted to be working on the Isle of Wight permanently following the success of our pilot and warmly welcome Madelaine to the team. We are so grateful to Layla’s Trust and their generous funding which has made this long term goal a reality and we look forward to a long and successful partnership as we continue working together for families who require our vital practical and emotional support.”
New Family Support Worker Madelaine Reilly says,
“The families I am supporting here on the Isle of Wight are amazing and I feel very privileged to work with them thanks to the support from Layla’s Trust. Since starting this job I have been getting to know the families and helping any way I can from accompanying them on fun days out to helping them attend regular hospital visits.
My role is flexible so I am able to fit in around them and provide ongoing, regular support, unique to them, as every family is different. I’m loving my new role, building relationships with the families and hopefully making a positive impact in their lives.”
For anyone on the Island caring for a child with a life threatening or terminal illness, who are interested in receiving support please contact Madeline here.
