Читать книгу Raising a Smile for Northern Ireland Children's Hospice - Brian Boone's Bailie - Страница 3

This wee book is a collaboration of three big eejits: Bowen, Blair, and Brian Bailie

We are: wee son, big son, and dad.

We love to read funny rhymes and stories.

Our favourite writers are Dr Suess, and Roald Dahl, and Spike Milligan, and Hillaire Belloc.

So one day Bowen said to Brian, “I’d like to write a book.”

And Brian said, “That’s a grand idea. Let’s ask Blair if he’ll help.”

And Blair said, “Sure!”

And now you’re reading it. So it just goes to prove that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

All these stories and rhymes and pictures are just a whole bunch of stuff that we’ve created for our own amusement over the years; just for a laugh, (instead of watching telly or playing video games).

Blair is the best illustrator (because he hardly ever watches telly), so if you see a great picture, it’s his. Brian draws sort of scribbly and simple pictures (because he’s all drawn out). And Bowen still draws like a kid (because he’s just eight).

The money that you’ve spent to buy this book goes to help Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, which is a super place that has helped some of our friends when they were very, very ill, or when their mum and dad needed a wee rest.

•Last year Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice cared for 232 children with life-limiting conditions.

•Over 90% of the care that Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice provides is done within the family home, which is where the child is most comfortable and most familiar. The hospice provides specialist nursing care for these children, so that the rest of the family can go out and do things that need done; things that you and I take for granted. When there is a very ill child in the family, basic things like popping along to the shops or getting a hair-do, becomes very difficult without the specialist support of the hospice.

•There are six bedrooms in the hospice, and there is also accommodation for the families of children who are staying there.

•Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice has a hydrotherapy pool, a multi-sensory room, and offers lots of complimentary therapies to the children it cares for.

•When a family is told that their child is too ill to survive, it is a devastating and daunting time for the whole family. Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice offers support for the whole family through every stage of this journey. The hospice is there for the whole family, listening and respecting their wishes for the care for the child. The hospice isn’t just a luxury for these families: the hospice becomes an indispensible lifeline.

•Last year Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice also worked closely to support 155 families who were bereaved. Once a child dies, the hospice continues to provide support for the whole family, to help them through their grieving, for as long as they need.

•Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice is the only children’s hospice in Northern Ireland. The hospice receives some funding from the government, but they are still very dependent on the continued kindness and generosity of the local community.

If you didn’t buy this book, but have borrowed it, or if you wish to help support the hospice, you can make a donation right now at:

www.justgiving.com/nichildrenshospice

And you can show support on Facebook here:

www.facebook.com/NIHospice

Dedicated to the memory of our friends

wee brothers Zak and Conan.