CLIC Annex

CLIC Sargent’s new wing of CLIC House in Bristol which has been under construction for the last three months, has officially opened. The opening was attended by the Bristol Lord Mayor, CLIC Sargent staff, families and guests and was reported by BBC News, Star FM, GWR, Radio Bristol and The Evening Post.

The new facility will provide badly needed facilities for families from the South West whose child has been diagnosed with cancer.

Bristol Children’s Hospital is the regional paediatric oncology centre for cancer diagnosis in children. This means when a child is first diagnosed with cancer the family may have to travel hundred of miles to be with their son or daughter. CLIC House offers families a convenient and free place to stay, near to the hospital, while their child is undergoing treatment.

On average a child, or young person diagnosed with cancer, can spend over 90 days at Bristol Children’s Hospital (over consecutive visits) receiving treatment. For families caring for their child this can be an enormous financial and physical strain. Over the course of a year CLIC House can save families, caring for a child with cancer, nearly £5,000 in accommodation costs and hospital parking fees.

“The new wing has been created due to the increase in the numbers children requiring our services,” explained Andrew Cooper, CLIC Sargent’s Regional Head of Services. “Today more than seven in ten children can expect to survive their illness and this number is increasing as treatments improve. Children are spending longer in hospital wards and we have an increasing need for our home from home accommodation in Bristol. The new wing will enable us to house even more families and also provide a drop-in centre for those families who require support on a daily basis.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to Magna Maintenance who’ve helped us turn the building into a real home offering families a place where they can relax and get a little comfort and privacy. Families should be putting their energy into caring for their sick child rather than worrying about booking hotels and paying hospital parking fees. Many thanks also to Star Radio, whose staff have created a wonderful garden at the home for families to escape to. Finally thank you to Virgin Vie who have donated over £1,500 of beautiful bed linen and cushions to make the home as comfortable and relaxing for families as possible.”

“CLIC Sargent does a wonderful job offering help on every level for families when they really need it,” explained Ros Simmons, Managing Director of Virgin Vie At Home. “We at Virgin Vie At Home are delighted to support them with their work and were so pleased to be able to offer a large selection of our Homeware products to the new annexe to ensure it feels like a home from home.”

Joe Smith, aged 7 from West Camel near Yeovil, is being treated for a brain tumour at Bristol Children’s Hospital. “He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year,” said his mother Denise Smith, “and was rushed to Bristol where he is receiving intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. For the last couple of months we’ve been living two lives – one of us staying at CLIC House and the other going from the hospital in Bristol to Yeovil and back again. CLIC Sargent have been really supportive ever since he was diagnosed. They’ve provided us with financial grants which have helped with our travel costs to the hospital and to buy Joe a new bed and mattress. He was being sick so often we had to replace his mattress.”

Notes to Editor:

For any media enquiries please contact Suzanne Palmer, at the CLIC Sargent media team on: 0117 314 8621 / 07876 352544 or email: suzanne.palmer@clicsargent.org.uk

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