Harborough Family Back Rainbows Hospice’s New Appeal

A Market Harborough family are backing a new fundraising appeal to help Leicestershire’s Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young people.

Erin Brant, 16, who has two life-limiting illnesses and is recovering from cancer, spends time at the hospice regularly and her parents have described the care and support as ‘wonderful.’

The charity based in Loughborough has launched a new appeal as it hopes to expand its services to help more youngsters in hospital and in their own homes.

Erin at Rainbows

Erin’s parents, Tracy and Nigel, were advised when their daughter was three-years-old that she had a genetic condition called a Chromosome Rearrangement, which means pieces of chromosomes are missing, duplicated or moved around, leaving Erin with learning difficulties.

At the age of five, she was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic condition that makes muscles weaker and causes problems with movement.

In 2019, Erin was diagnosed with a Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, and had to have a kidney removed as well as chemotherapy.

She is currently in remission.

Tracy said: “When Erin goes to Rainbows, I know she is in very safe hands and she has an amazing time.

“She gets to be independent and she is so well looked after. When she is there, it gives our family some respite from the 24-hour care and it also gives us, along with her 19-year-old brother, Ben, the chance to do things that we might not be able to do with Erin in her wheelchair.

“Just knowing Rainbow is there at any time is wonderful. On New Year’s Eve in 2022 our boiler had broken and Erin couldn’t wash her hair. I called Rainbows and she went there to have a shower and she ended up staying for a long weekend playing games and having a take-away for New Year’s Eve. She had the best time and it is moments like that that you couldn’t make up.”

Karen Nicholson from Rainbows spoke to HFM:

More on the appeal HERE