Standing together with isolated families
For a child like Jacob, being shielded at home for his safety is nothing new. Jacob’s heart condition means even catching the common cold can result in a trip to A&E. So when news of the Coronavirus emerged, his mum Melanie had years of experience to draw upon to protect her son from this new threat. The isolation that comes with sheltering three year old Jacob is familiar to Melanie too. Just like the anxiety and fear of the unknown.
“Under normal circumstances, even colds can be really dangerous for Jacob as he already has lower oxygen levels in general compared a child without a condition. A lot of times we’ve ended up in A&E with Jacob really struggling to breathe and have oxygen,” explains Jacob’s mum Melanie.
“So, we tend to avoid most places. It can be quite isolating. I don’t think I’ve ever found any parents who really understand unless they’re a parent with a child like Jacob. But with Acorns it’s easy, because it’s safe and the hospice knows all about Jacob’s condition.”
Covid-19 has brought new fears and strict isolation for hundreds of families supported by Acorns. But with your help, we’re doing everything we can to support children and families during this crisis and long after it has passed.
“Now life is strange. We’ve been at home for 12 weeks. When I first heard about Coronavirus I went into a complete panic, my anxiety was through the roof and I had many sleepless nights. I pulled my older children out of school straightaway because I knew that there was the risk of them bringing it back to the house. I was fearful of doing anything, purely for the fear that if Jacob gets this, he’s not going to be able to fight it off.
“We’re adjusting. We’ve told Jacob it’s because of ‘yacky germs’. He seems to get that. He misses Acorns and asks when he can go back. We’ve loved seeing everyone at the virtual Stay and Play groups. It’s like a glimpse into the outside world. Being so cooped up getting to see all these people who are like family has been really nice.”
And your support during this difficult continues to lift families spirits.
“I’ve seen so many people going above and beyond to do all they can for Acorns. It’s a hard time for everybody but knowing that people are still thinking of and fundraising for families supported by Acorns really is amazing.”
