Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, across west London and Surrey. We support families from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement with a range of nursing, practical, emotional, and medical care. Whether lives are measured in days, weeks, months, or years, we’re here to make every moment count.

Our specialist care and support is free of charge to families and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It includes a comprehensive range of therapies and support groups for the whole family, specialist nursing care and respite, symptom management, end-of-life care and bereavement support.

We support around 700 families who have a baby, child, or young adult with a life-limiting condition, or who have been bereaved. We support around 500 babies, children, or young adults who have a life-limiting condition and their families through our services. We support around 200 families from end of life and for three years and three months after bereavement. Including life-limited children, their siblings, parents, grandparents, and those that are bereaved, we currently support over 2,000 people.

We are the local children’s hospice for one in ten families in England. It costs £10 million a year to run Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, so we rely on our supporters’ generosity to keep the service running. Just 30% of our funding comes from the government. This means that for every pound the government gives us, we have to raise two. 86p of every £ raised goes to caring and supporting children with life-limiting conditions, and their families.

Christopher’s

Christopher’s, our purpose-built children’s hospice in Guildford, Surrey, first opened its doors in November 2001. All our overnight care is currently provided at Christopher’s, as well as a comprehensive range of therapies and activities utilising a host of specialist facilities including a sensory room, hydrotherapy pool, soft playroom, and cinema room. During a respite stay, our expert nurses and carers ensure each child’s complex needs are met as well as organising a range of fun, sensory and therapeutic activities, while parents get a much-needed break.

More information on Christopher’s can be found here, along with a virtual video tour.

https://www.shootingstar.org.uk/how-we-help/our-care/christophers/