Royal Surrey was one of 15 hospitals added to a food pilot project from charity Sophie’s Legacy. 

Diana Lynch-Bodger’s daughter, Molly, 10, was admitted to Royal Surrey for three nights after an epilepsy episode. She praised the initiative as invaluable for parents staying in hospital with their children.

She said: “Even though we are familiar with hospital life because my daughter has epilepsy, coming into hospital via ambulance in the middle of the night is always stressful and overwhelming. 

“This time I left in the night, hurriedly packing a small bag and it didn’t occur to me to think about food. I felt so grateful for the option to receive sandwiches, tea, biscuits and meals while my daughter was on Hascombe Ward.

“I would only have been able to go and buy food from the outlets at the hospital, if a nurse was available to watch my daughter one-to-one while I was doing so, as she could not be left unattended.

“Not only was the food provided and available for me on the ward, I was also regularly prompted to eat, reminded about the food and checked on to see if I had in fact eaten and ordered something. 

“If I missed the timings due to discussions with doctors or ward rounds, I was reassured that it was never a problem to put a late order in.

“Keeping up your own stamina and energy is so important when you’re the parent of a young patient and Sophie’s Legacy allowed me to do that with complete ease.

“I’m also really grateful for all the great care from staff at Royal Surrey, including the paramedics, A&E staff, ward staff, the Epilepsy Team and the Learning Disability nurses too.

“Thank you!”

For three months, Royal Surrey’s Medirest catering team are trialling providing breakfast, lunch and supper for one parent staying with their child on Hascombe Ward, thanks to funding from the charity.

Senior Sister on Hascombe Ward, Susan Winney commented: “Providing meals for parents who have a child in hospital is so important in so many ways, and it’s invaluable for both the parents and our young patients. 

“It means that parents can stay close to their child, offering constant comfort and reassurance and making their stay less scary. It also reduces stress for parents, and the expense of having to rush off to buy meals and it helps them feel more capable and in control at a challenging and distressing time.”

Sophie’s Legacy was created in memory of Sophie Fairall who died, aged 10, from a rare form of childhood cancer. During her cancer treatment and hospital stays, she wrote a bucket list of things that she wanted to change for children facing long stays in hospital.

One of her wishes was for parents to be fed while staying with their child. Since Sophie’s death in 2021, the charity has been campaigning tirelessly to achieve her wishes and improve the experience of children and families facing hospital admissions.