On Christmas Eve 2024, Will and Miriam found themselves at Martin House Children’s Hospice, preparing to say goodbye to their eldest son Sam.
He had been critically ill with complications caused by the neurodegenerative condition Niemann-Pick Type C. Faced with the devastating possibility that Sam was at the end of his life, the family brought him to Martin House.
When Sam arrived at the hospice, the care team had decorated his bedroom with fairy lights and Christmas bedding, with stockings ready for Sam and his siblings Jack and Ellie. Miriam said: “When we arrived at Martin House, my expectation was he was going to die within a couple of hours. But Sam woke up, looked at us and smiled.”
Overnight, Sam rallied. With his extended family around him, and visits from dozens of friends, the Martin House team made sure the family had a Christmas to remember. Miriam said: “We had a lovely Christmas Day. The care team somehow produced three turkeys and cooked a full Christmas dinner for 20 people. There’s no better place we could have had that last Christmas with Sam.”
Sadly, Sam died aged 17 at Martin House that autumn, surrounded by his family.
Visit www.martinhouse.org.uk to find out more, or donate and make a difference this Christmas.
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