Sarah Parish and her husband support drama therapy for children at Noah’s Ark, helping families cope during tough times.
Barnet: Sarah Parish and her husband are doing something really special. They’re funding 300 drama therapy sessions for kids at Noah’s Ark hospice. This comes after their own heartbreaking experience when they lost their daughter, Ella-Jayne, to a heart defect.
During their visit to the hospice, they wanted to learn more about how the charity supports children and their families. Sarah emphasized how crucial it is for families to have help during their toughest moments.
She shared how they saw the need for emotional support when Ella-Jayne was in intensive care. It’s so important to process the trauma of having a seriously ill child, or it can lead to long-term issues.
Since starting their trust in 2014, they’ve raised £4 million for projects like this. They met a family there, the Lucas-Dodsworths, who shared their own story about their son, Arthur, who faced serious health challenges at birth.
Arthur is now thriving and enjoys the drama and music group at Noah’s Ark, while his brother Joseph has benefited from drama therapy too. Their mom mentioned how hard it was to explain Arthur’s situation to Joseph, but therapy has helped him cope better.
Pasha Wild, a therapist at Noah’s Ark, explained how drama therapy gives kids a safe space to express themselves and work through their feelings. It’s like a rehearsal for life, where they can practice handling tough situations.
Sarah and James learned about the challenges facing children’s palliative care, especially with funding uncertainties. The hospice relies heavily on donations to cover its daily costs, which are quite high.
Noah’s Ark is all about helping kids enjoy life, making sure they’re not just seen as patients but as children who deserve to have fun and create memories with their families.
