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Mother who lost son Lewis age two opens £1 million support centre

A mother who lost her son to a rare form of cancer has helped open a £1 million support centre for bereaved parents.

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Gayle Routledge from Stafford has worked with dedicated bereavement specialists at Birmingham Children's Hospital to create Magnolia House.

It is aimed at improving the experiences of hundreds of parents and loved ones who receive life-changing or difficult news.

Gayle's son Lewis passed away at two-years-old with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in 2010.

Speaking of how Magnolia House would have benefitted her family, the 45-year-old said: "I still remember every detail of our location when we were told the news and for us that was a cramped and impersonal room with hardly enough space for us all to sit down.

"It would have made such a difference to our family to have a home-from-home space away from the ward where we could feel safe and be separated from the hospital."

Magnolia House is the first of its kind in the UK and funded entirely by charitable donations. It is designed to ensure devastating news is no longer delivered in offices, empty cubicles or playrooms.

Nicki Fitzmaurice, Palliative Care Lead at Birmingham Children's Hospital, said: "Every element has been designed hand-in-hand with families; from the pastel-coloured interior and the comfortable furniture, to the floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for lots of natural light.

"The families we care for have wanted a space like Magnolia House for such a long time and thanks to hundreds of charitable donations we are delighted to now be able to offer an environment that gives parents a chance to process life-changing news, ensuring they are able to focus on being emotionally available to their child.

"Feedback from families was clear, it needed to be unlike any other area in the hospital, not smell or sound like a busy ward and have lots of natural light, so they didn't feel like they were enclosed. We're proud to have created a setting that honours them."

Magnolia House is located in a central part of the hospital's site and named because of the trees found in its surrounding garden.

It boasts two private counselling rooms; a calming lounge area; a kitchen and dining area; a siblings' play area and a private garden where families can sit and reflect. It also has a private, large family room complete with its own bathroom, kitchen and garden.

Fundraising was spearheaded by Birmingham-based financial mutual Wesleyan.

Liz McKenzie, Wesleyan's Chief Operating Officer, said: "We have supported Birmingham Children's Hospital for the past four years, and our legacy of creating Magnolia House is something we are very proud of. We hope it will help families when they need it most."

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