Sadly, the Dobson family know this all too well from personal experience. Their daughter, Evelyn Rose, lived for just 11 precious days in King’s PICU. During that time, her parents, Alexandra and Jonathan stayed in one of the accommodation rooms. It gave them the closeness they needed, but they also noticed how tired and run-down the rooms had become.
As Evelyn’s mother, Alexandra, recalls:
“When you are in the darkest moments of your life, the last thing you need is to be in an environment that makes everything feel so much worse. All we wanted was to be able to step into a soothing space, away from the constant bleeping of the wards, so we could at least try to process what was happening to us, and to our daughter, in some sort of appropriate and private space.”
Transforming parent accommodation
Motivated by their experience, the Dobson family decided to give something back in Evelyn’s memory. Through their fundraising, which included organising a fundraising ball and Jonathan running the marathon and cycling a staggering 1,189 miles from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland, they raised enough to completely refurbish two of the three parent rooms, creating welcoming and supportive spaces for other families.
To ensure the whole suite of rooms could be refurbished, the Charity approached the Grace Trust, who generously funded the refurbishment of the third room.
These spaces had not been re-decorated in many years and were in desperate need of renewal. Thanks to this project, the rooms now benefit from many improvements including:
- Completely new bathrooms and bespoke kitchenettes to maximise the space
- Full redecoration and new furnishings
- Soothing lighting to create a calm environment
Why it matters
Each year, more than 600 critically ill children are treated in King’s PICU. That means over 1,200 parents, carers and relatives may need to use these rooms annually, often from the very moment their child is admitted until their condition stabilises or the rooms are no longer needed.
As Alexandra explains:
“The staff at King’s are just incredible. While we couldn’t raise enough for more staff, we hoped that we could for the parents' accommodation as although we were thankful to have the room, it really needed upgrading and felt jarring against what we were facing. Sadly, we know that there will be more parents and carers who will go through a similar experience as us in the future, but at least we can try and make it better for them, quietly providing them a small amount of comfort during the most frightening of times.”
Evelyn's legacy
Thanks to the vision and generosity of the Dobson family and their friends, and the support of the Grace Trust, three newly refurbished parent accommodation rooms will now provide places offering peace, and rest for families during the most difficult time of their lives.
This extraordinary gift creates a meaningful and enduring tribute to Evelyn, helping to support countless parents and carers for years to come.
