BBB Supports Together for Short Lives

When a child’s life is expected to be short, there’s no time to waste. Together for Short Lives makes sure the 99,000 seriously ill children and their families across the UK can make the most of every moment they have together, whether that’s for years, months or only hours.

The number of seriously ill children has trebled over the last 20 years and is still rising. Having a child with a life-limiting condition brings great joy, but many families struggle to get the right care and support they need for their child and family. And caring 24/7 for a seriously ill child can be exhausting, and many families feel lonely and isolated, and do not know who to turn to for support. No family should have to suffer alone though their child’s short life.

More and more of these families are suffering through their child’s short lives, and they are suffering alone. They are struggling to navigate a maze of medical and social services and overwhelmed with work and finances. And too many families are suffering in grief, fear and loneliness through a lack care and support.

Together for Short Lives cannot save a child’s life.

But with your support they can save a family from a lifetime of suffering. Whether they are struggling to come to terms with a diagnosis, or if they just need somewhere to turn for support and information.

Together for Short Lives wants to make sure that families caring for seriously ill children do not have to suffer alone, and instead can treasure every moment together.

Families like Effie’s…

“When Effie was two and a half, her dad Paul was giving her a bath and she just fell forward. He caught her before she hit the water. It was like she blanked out for just a second. That was our very first sign that something was going wrong for Effie.” -

Bereaved mum, Carly

Following three more episodes, lots of tests and investigations followed before a neurologist gave them the devastating diagnosis of Batten disease – a fatal and degenerative disease.

Like many families they were sent home to come to terms with this life-altering diagnosis completely alone and isolated. With only an information leaflet and all their fears of what the future would hold for their little girl: “We knew at that point that Effie would soon be taken from us.”

The family contacted Together for Short Lives for advice, support, and someone to talk to following Effie’s shocking diagnosis.

“We thought we were on our own, but that’s when Together for Short Lives said: You are not alone.” - Bereaved mum, Carly

Help families like Effie’s

By supporting Together for Short Lives you could help another family caring for a seriously ill child to have a community around them to share worries, fears and grief with, so they feel less alone.

Your donation will also mean that a family grieving the loss of their child won’t have to struggle on alone.