Guy and Vincenza Ciampa of Cartridge Depot in Bedford have shown their gratitude to The Sick Children’s Trust by donating them a new printer and free printer cartridges.
Guy and Vincenza (co-founders of Cartridge Depot) welcomed their son Dario Luigi Ciampa into the world on the 2nd May 2015, but there were a few complications when Dario was born which led him to be rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. This is when The Sick Children’s Trust came in to help the family by offering them free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation during Dario’s treatment.
Guy and Vincenza Ciampa say: “We felt it only right to repay The Sick Children’s Trust in some way, what we have donated to them will never be enough to say thank you as what it offered us was more than just a room to stay in, it was the comforting welcome and feeling of home. The team kept us calm which we’re sure passed on to our son which led him to have such a great recovery. It was one less thing to worry about during a difficult time.”
Guy continues: “I was able to be close to my family and not worry about travelling and leaving them. I think we all take many charities for granted but when you actually use a charity like we did you realise just how important they are.
“I felt it so important to spread this news about The Sick Children’s Trust and what a great job Sandra and her team do at Acorn House in Cambridge. The Sick Children’s Trust makes a huge difference to parents, children and babies going through the most difficult times in their lives, so we are doing all we can to support the charity where possible. We’ve donated a printer and free cartridges from our company Cartridge Depot and we will also be encouraging other friends and families to join the charity’s Big Chocolate Tea event happening at the end of the month, so that more families can be supported by this wonderful cause.
“We will continue to show our support to The Sick Children’s Trust however possible.”
The Sick Children’s Trust runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country and last year supported around 4,000 families with free accommodation close to their sick child’s bedside. Alongside private bedrooms, each house has communal bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms which can be accessed by the families receiving support.
Acorn House Manager, Sandra Peckham says: “We’d like to thank Dario’s family so very much for their wonderful donation, support and kind words.
“When a child is taken to hospital to receive critical treatment, life for the whole family is thrown into turmoil. Acorn House means families like Guy and Vincenza can stay together in free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation, just minutes from their sick child’s bedside – easing some of the worries at an incredibly difficult time.”
*Guy and Vincenza are joining The Sick Children’s Trust’s Big Chocolate Tea fundraising event from 22 April – 2 May and are calling for others to get involved too. For more information on Big Chocolate Tea visit http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/bigchoctea
About The Sick Children’s Trust
The Sick Children’s Trust is working to a future where every family with a seriously ill child in hospital will be able to stay together, just minutes from their child’s bed during their treatment.
We believe keeping families together significantly improves the recovery of seriously ill children. We provide free, high-quality ‘Home from Home’ accommodation, as well as emotional and practical support, to families with sick children in hospital in the UK.
The Sick Children’s Trust was founded in 1982 by two paediatric specialists Dr Jon Pritchard and Professor James Malpas. Today we have 10 ‘Homes from Home’ at major hospitals around the country where families can stay free of charge, for as long as they need whilst their child is undergoing treatment.
We support around 3,600 families every year, and there is a growing demand for our ‘Homes from Home’ as children must increasingly travel long distances to get the specialist treatment they need. www.sickchildrenstrust.org
This news has also been published on the Love Bedford website & the Bedfordshire on Sunday website.