History
Our story, and the start of Julia's House, the Dorset Children's Hospice, is a remarkable and moving one.
Julia Perks was a talented and dedicated paediatric nurse who identified the need for facilities and services for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses in the area, and particularly sought to raise awareness of the need for more respite for the families of these children. Following her sad and premature death from cancer in 1997, Julia's family, friends and colleagues took up the mantle and set up the Julia Perks Foundation, now known as Julia's House, the Dorset Children's Hospice.
The original intention of this group was to raise money to build a conventional children's hospice. However, in order to meet the needs of the children and families more effectively, the charity chose to concentrate its efforts firstly on providing care in the families' own homes. This meant that children and their families would receive care and support much sooner than would otherwise be the case. In 2003, six years following Julia’s death, her aspirations were fulfilled with the appointment of two children’s Community Nurses to lead the care team.
The hospice, Julia's House itself, was completed and officially opened in March 2006. Providing day care for up to ten children at one time and overnight care at weekends, the hospice takes great care to offer a warm, welcoming and homely environment where the children can enjoy genuine quality of life.
Now in 2010, the community team has now grown to around 90 Nurses and Carers, and at any one time Julia's House is caring for around 100 children.
