Mold family on BBC Lifeline Appeal highlighting work of Sick Children's Trust

The charity supports families with a seriously ill child in hospital by providing a warm, welcoming place to stay close to the ward and giving them one less thing to worry about.

The Mellalieu family, from Mold, were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust in 2021.

Mum Yvette and dad Jonathan stayed at the charity’s Guilford Street House, one of its ten ‘Homes from Home’ when daughter Gracie needed a pioneering medical treatment in London, some 250 miles away from their North Wales home.

The Mellalieus are one of three families featuring in the BBC Lifeline Appeal, with families from Norfolk and Northern Ireland also explaining how The Sick Children’s Trust supported them while their children were in hospital, many hours away from their own homes.

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The appeal, which is being presented by Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke, will be broadcast on Sunday, September 11 at 3.25pm on BBC One, being repeated on BBC Two on Tuesday, September 13 at 8.50am. It will then be available on BBC iPlayer for three weeks.

Fifteen-year-old Gracie has a rare life-limiting disease called Morquio Syndrome, which comes with numerous complications including stunted growth.

As it grew inside her small frame, Gracie’s airway was becoming increasingly kinked and narrow, restricting the airflow to her lungs and needed surgery to fix it.

Being able to stay just minutes away from Gracie’s hospital bedside removed the financial stress of expensive hotels and allowed Yvette and Jonathan to give Gracie all the support she needed.

BBC (Image: BBC)

PIC: The Mellalieu family being filmed for the BBC Lifeline Appeal for The Sick Children’s Trust.

Mum Yvette said: “Guilford Street House meant no hotels and no travelling. We could be as close as possible to our daughter. When we arrived at the ‘Home from Home’ we were overwhelmed with gratitude.

"In fact, both my husband, Jonathan, and I had a little cry after we were shown around. We couldn’t believe how lovely and homely it was, and how COVID safe it was too. Guilford Street House helped us beyond words to be able to stay close to Gracie, and for Gracie to know that if she needed us we would be there. It made her feel much calmer."

Gracie was just the second person in the UK to undergo this ground-breaking procedure.

Her recovery was expected to take three weeks, but within a matter of days she was back home in Wales.

Gracie said: “When I went for my surgery, it really helped me to know that if I needed my parents they would be there by my side in intensive care in minutes. So I would like to say a huge thank you to The Sick Children’s Trust for keeping my parents by my side.”

This year The Sick Children’s Trust is celebrating 40 years of keeping families together.

Relying entirely on voluntary contributions to keep their ‘Homes from Home’ running, it costs them approximately £40 to support one family for one night.

Since the charity was founded in 1982 it has helped more than 73,000 families from all over the country by providing a warm, welcoming, clean, and comfortable place to stay free of charge.