A Gift of Hope: Karen’s story

When I think back to the hardest days of our lives, those long, frightening hours spent at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. My daughter, Lily, was just 14 when she took a fall, awkwardly landing on her head during trampolining practice, in June 2022. Lily was obsessed with sports and gearing up for her GCSEs at the time. Over the days that followed, Lily started suffering from intense headaches and double vision and became unsteady on her feet.  After consulting with 111, we rushed Lily to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. By this point she had been sick with the pain from the headache and could not walk into A&E. Lily’s brain scan showed she had a brain aneurysm that was about to rupture. From there, we were told we needed to be airlifted to Bristol Children’s Hospital because Lily wouldn’t make it in time by road.

The aneurysm in Lily’s brain ruptured just a few hours later, causing a brain bleed. The aneurysm was coiled to stop the swelling on the brain and Lily spent the next four days in an induced coma in the paediatric critical care unit. We were given the devastating news that Lily’s condition was critical and that they may need to withdraw life support. We were also told that, if she were to wake up, she would most likely be severely disabled. She was given less than a five per cent chance of a full recovery.

Our world turned upside down overnight. But it was the incredible team at Noah’s Ark who lifted us up, guiding us through every challenge with compassion, expertise, and unwavering support. Lily’s journey was far from easy. There were days when the uncertainty was almost too much to bear, but the staff at Noah’s Ark were always there, holding our hands, providing the best care possible, and making sure Lily had the chance to live her life as fully as any young woman should and get back to doing what she loved. Their dedication didn’t just heal Lily’s body; it healed our hearts too.

Lily was one of the lucky ones, she is that five per cent.

That’s why, when my husband and I sat down to write our Wills, we knew we wanted to do something meaningful for the future. We wanted to make sure that other families, just like ours, could continue to rely on the incredible care that Noah’s Ark provides. We decided to leave a gift to the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity in our Will. This wasn’t a decision made lightly, but one that felt deeply right.

You see, gifts left in Wills are vital for charities like Noah’s Ark. In the UK alone, charitable legacies are worth over £3 billion every year, making up about 16% of all fundraised income for charities. This kind of support is crucial for sustaining the level of care and innovation that hospitals like Noah’s Ark strive for. Without it, many of the services that helped Lily and countless other children might not exist.

For Noah’s Ark, these gifts can mean the difference between a standard level of care and the exceptional, family-centered care that it’s known for. It can fund everything from state-of-the-art medical equipment to the small, thoughtful touches that make a hospital feel more like home. It’s about ensuring that children, no matter their circumstances, have the best chance at life.

I know firsthand how much these little things matter. When Lily was undergoing intense rehabilitation, it was the little extras—like the play specialists who distracted her during procedures, the beds by Lily’s bedside where we could stay close by, and the beautiful garden spaces that gave us a breath of fresh air—that made an unbearable situation just a bit easier. These things don’t happen without the generosity of people who believe in the work that the Noah’s Ark Charity does.

Leaving a gift in your Will isn’t just for the wealthy or the elderly. It’s something any of us can do, no matter the size of the gift. Every contribution counts and can make a real difference to the lives of families like mine. It’s a way to leave a legacy of hope, ensuring that Noah’s Ark can continue to provide the exceptional care that every child deserves.

For us, leaving this gift was a way to say thank you. Thank you to the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for Lily like she was their own. Thank you to the charity that made it all possible. And thank you to everyone who chooses to support Noah’s Ark, in whatever way they can, so that future generations of children and their families can have hope in their darkest hours.

If you’re considering writing your Will, I encourage you to think about the impact you could have. A gift to Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity is more than just a donation, it’s a lifeline for families in need. It’s a way to ensure that the extraordinary care we received continues, long after we’re gone. And for that, I can’t think of a better legacy to leave behind.