On a hot sunny day this week, a group of young people and parents came to a calm, shaded space in Stanmer Park to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at a Woodland Wellbeing session.
The Epilepsy team at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital work with lots of families who are learning to manage a new diagnosis for their children. It can be a scary and confusing time for them, navigating the news of a long-term condition along with how best to manage the treatment and the impact it can have on their lives.
It can be a challenging time for young people as they can often feel very different from their friends and school mates, not always able to talk about or explain their situation. And for parents, it can also feel isolating and scary.
As a way to help some of these families, two of the staff from the epilepsy team approached Rockinghorse to see if we could organise some kind of wellbeing session for their families.
And thanks to our Wellbeing Service, we were able to organise a lovely afternoon at The Plot in Stanmer Park where children and parents were able to come together and enjoy some time in nature, get creative making pinch pots, and then enjoy some delicious fruit kebabs, all under a canopy of trees, plants and woodland.
Emily, Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, and Laura, Clinical Nurse Specialist, see so many young people who could benefit from a chance to spend some time away from the hospital environment, sharing experiences with others going through similar experiences.
Emily said, “Epilepsy carries with it a lot of anxiety and stress, and unfortunately there aren’t enough resources for us to refer children and young people to. So, what we’re trying to do is facilitate days like this, so people can come together, parents can meet each other and get that support.
“One in 200 children has epilepsy – it’s the most common neurological condition. But, if you’re well controlled and you’re on medication, you don’t necessarily know, and children don’t always want to talk about it with their friends.”
“Days this are really useful for kids, even just to be able to look around and see, and to take home with them that feeling of, oh, look, there’s loads of other people like me.
“The parents have also really enjoyed it today, so that’s almost as important, because we know that children are in the dynamic of the family, so if you’ve got happy kids, it helps the whole family. Plus, parents that feel well supported and less alone, has that brilliant knock-on effect.”
One family that came along to the event was Tracey and her ten-year-old daughter Ruby. Tracey said, “It’s been a unique experience and not like anything we would normally do.”
And Ruby added, “I enjoyed everything. I have enjoyed being with everybody and colouring.”
Nine-year-old Niamh came with her mum Donna, and also really enjoyed the session. Donna said, “I think it’s great meeting other children, and normalising epilepsy, because as they get older and ask more questions, where do they go to feel they can get support from others, and it’s just a normal part of life? So, I think that’s what’s been really nice.”
Niamh added, “I enjoyed spending time with my friends and some of the new people. I really liked exploring the site and seeing all the different plants and flowers.”
These sessions help promote a sense of inclusion and offer people who may be struggling to find a bit of normality in their lives the chance to meet other people going through similar experiences and to just feel normal.
Jess Linton, Wellbeing Service Manager, said, “Being able to have children and their parents come to The Plot Stanmer to enjoy sessions like this is so important.
Ellie Johnson-Bullock, Wellbeing Service Co-ordinator and Practitioner, added, “It’s a really creative outdoor therapeutic community space that supports mental health, community spirit and connection, so it’s a perfect for groups like this.
“It’s been a really good session with everyone being able to take some time to enjoy the space, find comfort in nature and enjoy the sense of calm that the space provides.”
To find out more about our Wellbeing Service, just click here.
