Noah's Ark Children's Hospice joins Together for Short Lives in annual awareness week.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice joins Together for Short Lives to raise awareness, improve understanding and increase funding for Children’s Palliative care. Children’s Hospice Week (15–21 June 2026), led by Together for Short Lives, is the UK’s only annual awareness week dedicated to supporting children and young people who are seriously unwell, and their families.

The purpose of the campaign is to celebrate precious moments by highlighting how hospices are vibrant, joyful places that go far beyond medical care, offering therapies, family support, and opportunities to create lifelong memories.

It also aims to dispel common myths by reframing children’s hospices as places of light, life, and love rather than sadness or loss. In addition, it draws attention to ongoing funding challenges, emphasising that children’s hospices rely heavily on public donations and require sustainable, long-term financial support.

With 76% of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice income coming from voluntary donations and fundraising, every contribution plays a crucial role in ensuring that more children and families can access specialist care and support when they need it most.

This support is especially vital at a time when the children’s hospice sector is facing an estimated £310 million funding gap. As a result, nearly 91% of children’s hospices (in England), including Noah’s Ark are operating at a deficit, placing increasing pressure on services and highlighting the urgent need for long-term, sustainable funding.

Demand for hospice care is also rising significantly, as the number of children diagnosed with life-threatening or life-shortening conditions continues to grow. Across its catchment area, an estimated 5,700 children may now be eligible for the support provided by Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, underlining both the scale of need and the importance of securing the future of this essential service.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice has supported Michael and Maria Palmer, from Enfield, and their three daughters, Arabella, aged 7, Amelia, aged 10, and Isabel, aged 4, since January 2025 after Arabella was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic B-Cell Leukaemia. The family regularly attend family and sibling groups and events and Arabella receives Music and Art Therapy. Arabella is now in the maintenance phase of her treatment, which ends in November 2026.

This year, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is celebrating 20 years of providing outstanding care and support to children with life-threatening or life-shortening conditions, and their families. To reach more families like Arabella’s, the charity is inviting the public to donate £20 to help secure its future.

Sophie Andrews OBE, CEO of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice said: ‘During Children’s Hospice Week, we’re proud to mark 20 years of care at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. At a time of rising demand and significant funding pressure across the sector, we’re calling on the public to help ensure this vital support for children and families can continue.’

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About Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice: Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice helps babies, children, and young people with life-threatening or life-shortening conditions, and their families, make the most of every day. The charity supports those who die young to do so in as much comfort as possible and by providing exceptional care, organising fun activities and days out, helps families do things they never thought possible. Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice helps those they support to enjoy life as children, rather than patients, as families, rather than carers.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is based in Barnet and welcomes the referrals of babies, children, and young people who meet their acceptance criteria and who live in the London Boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington, and Hertsmere in Hertfordshire. Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s costs are currently over £7m per annum to provide essential services to babies, children and young people who are seriously unwell and their families.