The Duchess’ visit was one of the high profile events during Children’s Hospice Week, with her support meaning a lot to both Naomi House and the children’s hospice sector in terms of awareness and profile.
Chairman of Naomi House, Professor Khalid Aziz, said: “We are delighted that Her Royal Highness chose Naomi House to visit (during) Children’s Hospice Week.
“Her presence has provided a real boost for our families, our volunteers and all our dedicated staff who were thrilled to meet her.”
The Duchess took the time to meet children and young people, and their families, as well as staff at Naomi House. She also viewed all the facilities, including a fun session at the hydrotherapy pool.
One of the highlights of the visit was a performance by Ollie Wade, a sibling of someone cared for by Naomi House, of his song ‘Free’, which is a tribute to his deceased brother. Ollie recently released the song to raise money for Naomi House. It is available to buy on iTunes.
This year, Children’s Hospice Week focused on the brothers and sisters of life-limited children cared for by hospices. The Duchess met some of these siblings, and their families, during her time at Naomi House.
The Duchess became a Royal Patron of EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices) nearly a year ago, and has shown her support for children’s hospices throughout that time.
Various other celebrities supported Children’s Hospice Week, including Together for Short Lives patron Simon Cowell. The week included numerous activities and events themed around sibling support and the ‘Be a hero’ theme, such as superhero-based activities. The awareness week may have officially finished, but there are still activities happening throughout the month.
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