A new fundraising campaign has been launched by Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) as the number of nights spent at their hospice in Balloch increased over the past year.

The campaign, called 'The Way We Care Appeal', aims to highlight the important role nurses play in caring for terminally ill children.

This comes as the charity sees a significant increase in the need for its services.

From April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, CHAS nurses provided more than 80,000 hours of specialised care, with the number of nights spent at their hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch, increasing by 43 percent.

Outreach nursing care, provided in the homes of families, also increased by 45 percent during the same period.

(Image: Maverick Photo Agency)

Rami Okasha, chief executive officer of CHAS, said: "We are delighted to be launching The Way We Care Appeal to raise vital funds and build awareness about the dedicated work of our nurses who have contributed an incredible 80,000 hours of specialist care over the last year.

"Three children a week die in Scotland from an incurable condition and demand for our services is growing.

"The rate of medical advance now is incredible.

"Doctors are helping many seriously ill children live for longer than ever expected, but they need a lot more care, and for a lot more time.

"It creates huge demand which everyone is struggling to fill so we need children’s palliative care like never before.

"Over the course of the last year CHAS directly supported 419 babies, children and young people across the country, and hundreds more in hospital palliative care teams funded by CHAS.

"We provide support for the whole family – parents and siblings – and have supported nearly 2,000 family members of seriously ill children this year. "

To cope with the increase in demand for services the charity recently launched a four-year Strategic Plan, the Unwavering Care 2024-2028 Strategy, which sets out how the charity will provide support from diagnosis through to bereavement.

Gillian Murdoch, a senior staff nurse at Rachel House, is keyworker to Leah Barclay, seven, who was born with only half a heart as well as four other serious heart defects.

She said: “Providing care and support to families is the part of my job I love the best and helping them make special memories together.”