Joss Searchlight is a charity very close to our hearts.
Set up by Dianne & Nigel Parkes after the sad death of their son Joss in January 2011. Joss was given just weeks to live in 2005 but went on to be the longest known child survivor of a brainstem glioma with no treatment.
“When our four year old son was diagnosed with a terminal cancer we were not only devastated but also confused. After we had left the hospital with our very poorly little boy we didn’t know where to turn for help, support and guidance. We wanted to do everything we could for our son. Not only did we want to give him the best time ever and indulge his every whim, we also wanted to make sure that we hadn’t left any stone unturned as far as any treatments. We considered even the whackiest of therapies because as parents we needed to do everything we could. Eventually with the help of friends, complimentary therapists, a fair degree of luck and prayer we managed to maintain Joss’s health for nearly six years. This allowed us the precious time we needed to ‘spoil him rotten.” Dianne
As founding trustees Joss’ parents are passionate about making a difference to families affected by their child’s cancer diagnosis. “We want to support parents through their childs illness. We can guide them through the maze of treatment options or simply hold a hand when the going gets tough. There will be dizzy heights of hope and dark depths of despair, as parents of a of a child with cancer we understand this”.
Joss Searchlight has been formed to help other parents who have been forced down the road of childhood cancer. We provide a co-ordinated emotional and practical support for families of children with cancer, advice, counselling, provide specialist equipment, respite care and of course we help out with thoses special treats.
We also work alongside other charities and organisations to ensure that your precious time is not wasted trawling over the internet looking for answers. Let us do the searching for you; giving you the time to deal with your childs’ illness.
If your child is going to attend hospital on a regular basis, or indeed, stay in for any length of time, coping with their boredom is one of the major challenges you will face. We can, subject to availability, supply all sorts of entertainment equipment to help. From MP3 players to Tablet displays and laptops, from cameras to games consoles and Dvd players.
Nothing can take the pain away from your suffering but we do hope that Joss Searchlight will be able to take some of the headache out of the heartache.
