Julia’s House cares for life-limited and life-threatened children throughout Dorset. There are around 200 children who are seriously ill and unlikely to live beyond the age of 18 in Dorset. Their conditions include muscular dystrophy, severe cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, and brain tumors.

The charity now has 65 nurses and carers who visit children in their family home on a regular basis, looking after the child’s every need. Being a parent of any child can be exhausting at times, but never more so than with a life-limited or life-threatened child who requires intensive one-to-one care. Such parents are under enormous pressure. It can be a tremendous help to know that a kind and skilled carer will come in regularly for a few hours to help.

The children can also visit Julia’s House on Springdale Road, Corfe Mullen, on a regular basis throughout their lives, where they can enjoy a wide variety of toys, arts and crafts, specialist equipment and multi-sensory therapies. The children’s hospice is open four days a week and on weekends. It will also open for overnight care in early 2009.