A fundraising campaign launched to support our ‘Care After Death’ service has received the backing of a Rotherham family who sadly know how much the hospice can help in the most heartbreaking of times.

The campaign hopes to raise as much money as possible for the specialist service which provides care for babies, children and young people after death, and vital support for their bereaved families. 

The appeal is being supported by Taz Ghani, a bereaved mum who has experienced personal loss and the incredible care at Bluebell Wood when her son, Ibraheem, died in 2019. Taz’s daughter Fathima, who is now 17, also has the same life-limiting condition. 

Taz and her husband also have two other children, Moosa and Abbas. 

Taz said, “You don’t ever want to plan on losing your child and you just can’t predict how it will be. Ibby died suddenly and the care staff took over and were there to guide me and give me some control back. 

“We needed him to have a quick burial due to our traditions and staff helped me to overcome any obstacles with this. We were able to do memory work and I received a mould of Ibby’s hand to remember him. Bluebell Wood helped me carry on and it supports my other children too.  

"My daughter, Fathima, who is now 17, has the same condition that Ibby had, so she’s seen it with her own eyes. She went from being a sibling to a child supported by Bluebell Wood and she’s really thriving with it.” 

The hospice went through a challenging period following the Covid-19 pandemic, facing recruitment challenges and subsequently having to make the difficult decision to temporarily suspend some clinical care services.  

However, following successful recruitment and training of specialist nurses, we have now expanded our services again to include Care After Death provision – allowing families to spend precious moments together, with the space and time to be with their child after death.

Added Taz, “I will be forever grateful to the staff who helped give us amazing memories and knowing that they continue to be there for us is amazing. I was given choices, and the opportunity and time to grieve. I am very pleased to see this essential service is once again available to those who need it and I hope people across the region will recognise the difference it makes to families like mine and donate to the hospice and this campaign.”  

It costs almost £6.5m each year to keep the hospice running, with only around 16 percent of funding from government and the remaining 84 percent generated by fundraising. All services are completely free to families who are referred to Bluebell Wood. 

Heidi Hawkins, Chief Executive of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, said, “Following a difficult couple of years where, due to recruitment challenges, we sadly had to reduce some care services, we are now so pleased to be in the position where our new specialist care team can step in offering much needed support once again for families like Taz where a baby, child or young person has died of a life-shortening condition either at home or in a hospital setting.

“Care after death is a very special part of our offer, no other organisations locally provide this care in the same way as a children’s hospice, and we know that it will help families from across our region as they deal with the unimaginable grief of losing a child.

“We can make it so families have longer to spend with their child after they have died. Bereaved families can come to the hospice and spend time with their child in our bereavement bedrooms. Our care team can create lasting keepsakes like hand and foot moulds, whilst providing emotional support and assisting with the overwhelming task of funeral arrangements.

“We hope local people will support this campaign as every pound gives families like Taz’s the time, space, and care they need to grieve, heal, and remember and it means we can provide this service for years to come.”  

A donation to the Care After Death Appeal of: 

At Bluebell Wood we care for babies, children and young people from across South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, North Derbyshire and parts of North Lincolnshire whose lives are sadly just too short, both in their own homes and at the hospice. 

As well as clinical care services, we provide a home-from-home for families facing the toughest of times, providing plenty of fun activities for families to create special memories together. The team also support other health care providers out in the community and in local hospitals too. 

Heidi added, “This reintroduction of services is all part of our plan as we continue to grow further and recruit the necessary team to enable us to offer end of life care and unplanned symptom management again. We’re hopeful we’ll have more news on this soon.”