Helping to make a magical time: What it's like to work at a children's hospice at Christmas

For the past 16 years, she has been caring for youngsters with life-shortening conditions at The Donna Louise hospice in Staffordshire.

As well as providing a vital lifeline to those that need their help all year round, Steph and the rest of the team also support parents who never know if this Christmas might be their child’s last.

From organising a Santa’s grotto to offering days filled with music and games, they ensure the hospice is a hive of festive fun with activities that every child and their family can enjoy together.

“Christmas at The Donna Louise is a magical time that lasts pretty much the whole of December. It’s a time to forget our worries for a little while, spend time with those we love and celebrate being together.

“I’m not ashamed to say that we go completely over the top each year and the hospice is decorated from top to toe,” she says.

The hospice, in Trentham, supports more than 260 children and young adults from across Staffordshire and Cheshire, including many from Stafford, Cannock and Burntwood.

It offers a range of support including respite breaks, physiotherapy, art and music therapy, play activities and counselling for families, as well as end of life care and bereavement services.

This care is provided in the charity’s purpose-built hospice, in the family home – or a combination of both depending on the family’s preference.

Every child is recognised as an individual with their own needs, likes and dislikes, strengths and abilities and the hospice, which has around 110 staff, has been designed to be an extension of the family home.

As well as bedrooms, it offers a music room, library, teenage lounge, computer room, lounge, areas for soft play and arts and crafts and a sensory room.

There is also family accommodation and a large outdoor area which enables disabled and able-bodied children to play together.

“When I meet people, I tell them that The Donna Louise is 80 per cent fun, 20 per cent sad,” says Steph.

“We care for children with incredibly complex medical conditions, juggling an often scary mix of very strong drugs. We look after children who are fed through a tube directly into their stomach, children who cannot swallow and need their airways cleared every few minutes, children who may suffer a major life-threatening seizure at any moment.

“But, with the unique skill, knowledge and passion our team has, we help the child to cope with all these problems – so they can enjoy the fun part – playing games, getting messy, making noise; being a child.

“We work to make these moments happen every day. We don’t count the days – we make the days count. And, without question, the most important time of the whole year is Christmas,” she adds.

At Christmas the whole team comes together to celebrate the festive season and help families spent precious quality time together.

There are plenty of surprises for youngsters along the way and the fun lasts throughout December.

“Our play co-ordinator Nikki – we call her our Ringleader of Fun – works incredibly hard to make each Christmas bigger and better than the last.

“This year, Nikki has been busy planning Santa’s grotto, booking in visits from Jonny Wilkes and the local panto cast in full costume, the local school choirs, and even some of the famous faces from Stoke City FC.

“She makes sure there won’t be a day in December without something magical,” says Steph.

But the highlight of every year is always the hospice’s Christmas party, which includes plenty of games – and of course – lots of gifts. “Children and families come to the hospice where we spend a whole afternoon singing, playing silly games and sharing presents. Nikki makes sure that every child has a gift that’s just right for them.

“We do all of this because we know that, for some children, this will be their last Christmas. So, we want to try and put a whole childhood’s worth of fun into just one Christmas – because these will be the memories that their parents and siblings will cherish for the rest of their lives,” says Steph.

“One little girl we’ve got to know very well over the last few years is Kayla, and she’ll be coming to stay with us once again this December.

“Kayla has a lovely, sparkly personality and even though she isn’t able to speak much, she absolutely loves music and bright, twinkling lights.

“She loves our multi-sensory room and she loves to sing – we think she has a wonderful voice,” she adds.

The hospice needs to raise £3.6million each year to run its service and to help a Christmas jumper day was held earlier this month and Christmas fairs have taken place at Stafford Rangers Football Club and also Yarnfield Park in Stone.

For Steph, working at The Donna Louise is so much more than just a job. “There’s never been a single day when I’ve felt like I’m going to work.

“The hospice is just a part of my life - and the children we care for feel like a part of my own extended family,” she says.

• For more information about the hospice’s Christmas appeal see www.thedonnalouise.org