ROVERS DO CHILDREN IN NEED

The players and managerial staff at Doncaster Rovers have all helped to raise money for Children in Need by visiting the Bluebell Wood Hospice.It was their some of the players recognised a familiar season ticket holder keen Rovers supporter Kian.

Allow the staff to explain why he's so special:

Kian was one of the first children to use Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, or the House to be specific, previous to the opening of the House we had the home care service and from the first day the support has been unbelievable. Kian has a condition called Lissencephaly, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. This means he can’t talk or walk he also has difficulty eating food but is able to eat pureed food.

Despite Kian’s limitations he is a happy sociable boy, who has a continual smile on his face, he absolutely loves football, especially Doncaster Rovers. However, he has very specific medical needs, which can sometimes be exhausting for our family. Kian often only has 2 hours sleep in a 24 hour period, which leaves us with no sleep, and shattered. Because of his condition, it’s difficult for our extended family to care for him, and that’s where Bluebell Wood comes in. 

The staff at Bluebell Wood are our extended family, Bluebell Wood offers so much more than respite care for us and Kian. They don’t just focus on the child; it’s about the whole family. 

The support the Hospice offers not only to Kian but all of the Family is, well, it’s beyond words. Kian’s brothers Dan and Callum also attend the Bluebell Wood sibling groups, where they get together with other siblings from the Hospice. These monthly groups take the kids out to special places, giving them fantastic opportunities which we couldn’t do otherwise. It enables the siblings to be part of the Hospice were the focus is fun.

Bluebell Wood is a lifeline for our family; if it wasn’t there it would be like losing a family member.

Currently the cost or running the Hospice and offering the support to families is in excess of £3 million a year, the only revenue the Hospice receives is from fund raising, the Hospice gets no help with any running costs from any Government agencies which to me is beyond belief.

The Hospice cannot function without the help and generosity of individuals, companies and organisations. This is where we would like to thank Doncaster Rovers for their help and support.

Recently Rovers signed a player on a non-contract basis, namely Louis Tomlinson of One Direction, who ever thought this up to me is an absolute genius. Louis is a patron of Bluebell Wood and is using his fame to promote the profile of the Hospice and help generate funds. I know Louis is touched by the support that the Hospice offer to families. Louis also supports his local football team and on this occasion is using his fame to promote and generate funds for our Club.

Rovers' boss Paul Dickov said,"It's a fabulous project for both the children and families to be a part of.It is clear to see the children here are happy and the advantage is the families get a break from stress that caring for their child can have."

"Louis has done great things for the charity and as a patron of the hospice he is a key role model in the scheme.I met Kian and he was so happy to see me as he is a keen fan of the club.As the father of three children,I know how his family feel but he very much so loves the sport.The love he has for football makes him the bubbly kid he is."