Last Christmas together
When Sam arrived at Martin House on Christmas Eve, his family thought they might only have a few hours left together. Specialist care helped keep him comfortable, while everyone who loved him was welcomed in.
Together, they shared a Christmas they will always treasure.
Please give today so another family facing a last Christmas together can receive the specialist care, comfort and support they need.
Meet Sam
Sam loved music, singing and being around people. Any gathering of more than two people, he called it a party.
Christmas brought together everything he enjoyed: a busy house, friends, family and plenty of celebrating. There were Christmas costumes, games and songs, and Sam loved taking part in the church nativity.
Sam lived with Niemann-Pick Type C, a rare, progressive condition and Martin House had been part of his life since he was a baby.
Watch Sam’s Christmas story
Hear from Sam’s family as they share treasured memories of him, his love of Christmas, and how specialist care helped them spend one last Christmas together.
"Martin House is a haven of kindness. As Sam’s nana and grandad, we saw first-hand how special Martin House was to the whole family when we needed it most.
The support they gave was second to none. In all our years, we have never met such kindness – from every single person there; it was simply unbelievable."
"Overnight, the Martin House care team stayed by Sam’s side and by morning, against all odds, he had improved and we were able to enjoy Christmas Day together.
Looking back, I firmly believe Sam would have died if his breathing tube had been removed in hospital."
“There’s genuinely no other place where we could have had the Christmas experience we had.
People who support Martin House, through their kindness and generosity, have made a complete difference to our lives, and Sam’s life.”
For some families, this could be the last Christmas with their child.
Help them spend it together, surrounded by care, comfort and love.
The care Sam received, and the support surrounding his whole family, were made possible by people like you.
Your donation helps Martin House provide specialist care for children with life-shortening conditions and support the people who love them. It helps families access advice when they need it and supports children to die in the place of their family’s choosing — at home or at the hospice.
At Christmas, and throughout the year, your kindness helps us be there.
Please give today so another family facing a last Christmas together can receive the specialist care, comfort and support they need.
£50 helps to keep our phonelines running 24/7, so a family can ring Martin House for our specialist clinical support whenever they need it throughout the Christmas period.
£30 could help provide piped oxygen in one of our bedrooms for a day, keeping a child comfortable in calm, home-like surroundings at Christmas.
£10 could help create precious hand and footprint keepsakes, giving a family lasting memories of their child to treasure at Christmas and always.
Christmas party memories at Martin House
Thank you to our headline sponsor
