My Free Books for Children's Hospitals and Hospices

Hello, I'm Abbey.

When I was given a terminal cancer misdiagnosis a few years ago (I was 39), I started to research what books were available for children facing illness and death. During that year I met so many amazing children and their families. They invited me into their homes or into their hospice. I met with health care professionals who helped me to understand even more about children living with illness and/or complex health needs. A whole big world opened up to me. I realised how lucky I had been my whole life without me even realising it. I have learned so much from that experience and am thankful for it.

My dad Rikki, (a retired art teacher) and I began to write and illustrate stories that represented these young people. A colourful, imaginative, joyful world where a tiny worry doll visits children who need her. She tells them a story from the world of toys that helps that child, however they need to be helped.

My dad and I were lucky to be able to work together (apart) during the COVID-19 lockdowns. I wrote my first 3 stories in that time.

The first book, The Worry Doll and Polita Puffin is ready to be printed!

My dad and I intend to self publish and give these books free of charge to children's hospices and hospitals in the UK. We have been working in partnership with different families and healthcare professionals who have been advising us all the way about what we write about and how best to represent their children. In our books we want to show that it is often the world that disables people, and not the illness or condition.

I have been given a £5000 grant to run sessions in nursery schools in Angus, working in partnership with local care homes. These will use the book in its unpublished form over the coming months, which is very exciting.

My dad and I have loved working together on the book and hope we can continue to create these books. For now we just want to raise enough money to get an initial 200 books printed then mailed off to different children's hospitals/hospices.

We are applying for other funds and grants and any money received will go straight into producing more books that we can supply free of charge to children's hospices and hospitals (ideally schools too , but we shall see how we get on!). By crowd-funding we hope to raise £1500.

Of course we know not everyone can afford to contribute money, but if you could share our crowd fund page with everyone you know through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram we would be so grateful.

Thank you very much for reading all this everyone!!

We have just started a Facebook and instagram account and will start posting more info very soon!