Play our lottery and help a mum like Lydia
When you play the Julia’s House lottery you are making a real difference to the lives of local families, to mums and dads facing the most extraordinary challenges.
Lydia knows what it is like to feel frightened and overwhelmed, to have nowhere to turn. Her daughter, Darcie, was born with her vocal chords partially blocking her airway and had to have a tracheotomy - a tube through her neck into her throat – so that she could breathe.
Her mum has to watch her like a hawk 24 hours a day because if the tube gets blocked, Darcie could stop breathing. It’s scary and exhausting. They can’t go anywhere without lots of lifesaving equipment.
Imagine the shock when her second child was diagnosed with exactly the same life-threatening condition…
“When Hunter was born we were devastated. Straight away it was obvious that he had the same condition as his sister,” said Lydia.
“He was wheezing away, fighting for every breath. He ended up having a tracheotomy when he was only three and a half months old. I was terrified about how I was going to cope with two poorly children to look after.”
But thanks to the support of people like you, our lottery players, we were there for Lydia and her husband Ben, visiting the family at home and taking over the care of Darcie and Hunter so that their mum and dad could have a well-earned break.
And we are not just there now and again but regularly, year-round – even throughout the pandemic. Your weekly lottery entry helps fund weekly care that is available for all the families we support.
And that support has made the world of difference to Lydia and her family: “Julia’s House are so helpful and flexible. I can just text if I need some help and they will get back to me straight way,” said Lydia.
“The Julia's House nurses and carers are calm in a crisis. They are caring, reassuring and supportive. They make you feel great about yourself and proud of how you are coping. And that yes, actually you're good parents doing a really good job.
