Funding Charity Beds 14 Lists Hospitals in England | Hospital type Hospice Founded 1994 | |
Location Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom | ||
Rainbows the East Midlands Children’s Hospice is a UK based registered charity Number 1014051. The charity provides palliative care and support for children, young people and their families, when faced with life-limiting conditions.
Contents
The hospice, which is located in Loughborough, Leicestershire is a purpose designed and built children’s hospice. Rainbows' website is www.rainbows.co.uk
History
Rainbows opened its doors in 1994. The current unit has fourteen beds, many of which are pre-bookable, and two are available at short notice for emergency care. This facility was founded by Gail and Harry Moore, in celebration of their daughter, Laura, who had died of Leukaemia in 1989 despite three years of treatment and a donation of bone marrow from her twin brother Kit. Rainbows was officially opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in April 1995. It was named Rainbows because Laura saw a beautiful and complete rainbow shortly after the family had been told she had just a few weeks to live. They saw the rainbow as a symbol of hope, even in death. Harry and Gail Moore also founded the charity COPE to build a children's cancer unit at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and The Laura Centre - a bereavement counseling service for those affected by the death of a child and for bereaved children. Harry Moore also wrote of his experiences in one of his books A Lark Ascending.
The hospice has been extended to provide a further six bedrooms and a young adult unit.It provides services throughout the East Midlands of England. It is almost entirely funded through voluntary sources.
Services
This care is provided by a team of nurses, carers and therapists, supported by a group of administrators and fund-raisers, and all of this is under the direction of a team of specialist doctors providing, paediatric and palliative care.
Support
Rainbow’s offer services to the whole family, to discuss a child’s impending death, and to help with practical matters. This support is individually tailored to each family's needs to meet their culture and religious beliefs.