Shine's Family Support event is specifically aimed at raising the funds required to enable Shine to continue supporting over 5000 families caring for children with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus. This is often a lifelong commitment due to the severity of the child’s disability.

The pressures of coping with a disabled child can cause a huge strain on the family, both emotionally and financially. Brothers and sisters may feel they are not receiving the love and attention they require from their parents due to the extra care that their disabled sibling needs.

Financial strains can be wide and varied. There are the ongoing costs of journeys to and from various hospitals in order to gain the best treatment for their child’s disability. The vehicle used for the journeys may need to be specially adapted to accommodate a wheelchair or medical equipment required to travel. The parents also need to ensure that, on a daily basis, their child has the best and most practical equipment and living environment to make their life more comfortable. In a lot of cases one, or both parents, are unavailable for full-time employment, putting extra strain on already stretched resources.

Shine support families in various ways as soon as we become aware that they are having an affected baby. These include:                                     

• Local support through one of our professional support workers

• Expert health advice from our experienced nursing staff

• Counselling and peer support for individuals with families who are finding it difficult to cope 

• Staff funded by us at hospital clinics to make contact with families       

• Support when children are in hospital

• Family events and weekends away when families can support each other

The balloons are being launched from Kensington Palace to commemorate the birthday of one of our Patrons, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, HRH has been our Patron since 1973