Shine is a charity dedicated to supporting babies, children and adults living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus – two disabilities which require a very special kind of care and support.

Our Benny & Bella New Year Balloon Race will raise precious funds to support over 1,300 children aged 0-8 years. Most of the children we help are born severely disabled and during childhood will go through multiple surgical procedures aimed at giving them a better quality of life. During these stressful, sometimes life threatening, times we support them and their families in every way we can.

Many children will be paralysed from the waist down and up to 90% have brain injuries through hydrocephalus. Our work might ensure, for example, that they have the right wheelchair to suit their needs and are able to meet other children in similar situations to share their experiences. Health experts are also available to offer support practically and emotionally to the child and their family, and we organise various events throughout the year to bring our members together.

We also offer the children free membership of the Benny & Bella Bear Club. Benny & Bella are Shine’s mascots - Benny has hydrocephalus and Bella has spina bifida. Our children love the idea of a bear just like them. Members of the Club receive a certificate and replica cuddly bear upon joining and are kept up to date with their adventures via various platforms throughout the year. Books are also published about their stays in hospital and day- to-day life, amongst other things, which the children can relate to. 

The ballons are being launched from Oxford on the 8th January - the birthplace of Stephen Hawking, and on what would have been his 77th birthday.