When Emilia was 10 years old, she was receiving palliative, end-of-life care for terminal cancer.

She was no longer able to attend school and spent much of her time at home, often resting on the sofa. As the weather began to improve, Emilia had a simple wish: she wanted to be able to sit outside and feel the sunshine on her face.

Her family wanted to make this possible and create a comfortable space where Emilia could enjoy time outdoors with the people closest to her.

A simple wish, made possible

Through a £200 Helping Hand grant, Yorkshire Children’s Charity was able to support Emilia’s family with a swing seat for their garden.

The swing seat gave Emilia a comfortable place to sit outside, allowing her to spend time in the fresh air without having to leave home.

Instead of watching the world from indoors, Emilia could enjoy peaceful moments in the garden with her sister and family.

For Emilia, it was a small change that meant she could make the most of the time she had.

Our Helping Hand grants provide practical support to families when financial challenges make everyday life harder.

The grants can help with essentials and small changes that can make a meaningful difference to a child’s day-to-day life.

In Emilia’s case, the support helped her family make a simple wish possible: having somewhere comfortable to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Sometimes, practical support does not need to be complicated. It can be about helping a child spend time with the people they love, enjoy the fresh air and have a little more comfort at home.