The Rainbow Trust

Providing practical and emotional support to families with a child with a life threatening or terminal illness.

Every year 10,000 families in the UK have a child with a terminal or life threatening illness. The pressures on a family can be extreme. Rainbow Trust Children's Charity exists to provide a unique and special service to these families. We offer non-medical, practical and emotional help to all the family members, aiming to maintain a sense of normality and support them through traumatic times.

Family Support: Juggling the responsibilities of family life with a child in hospital, can be very difficult. Rainbow Family Support Workers provide hands on support in the family's own home providing a listening ear, a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on when things get tough. In many cases they provide support during the final stages of a child's life.

"It had reached the point when I just wanted to crack up and scream. Then I was put in touch with Rainbow Trust and it completely changed my life."

Jaqueline, mother of David

Rainbow Trust can be contacted for support at any stage of illness, from diagnosis, during treatment and throughout bereavement. Very importantly, there is no time limit to the care we provide. We will stay with a family until they feel they can cope without support, sometimes for several years after a child dies. Rainbow supports 1,000 families a year but this is only one in ten families that need us. We are 100% voluntary funded and with the help of the public and companies, we are gradually moving closer to our goal of supporting many more families. We receive less than 1% government funding.

"It was just so nice to get away from hospitals and talk of treatment. We can have some fun here."

Tom Stewart, father of Thomas

If you would like more information visit us at www.rainbowtrust.org.uk