All about Continuing Care
Continuing Care: Heartfelt Support That Lasts Beyond the Moment
At me&dee, we know that when a family receives a life-limiting diagnosis, the world can change in an instant. The days that follow are filled with uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak but also, crucially, moments of love, resilience, and connection. Our role is to stand beside families through it all: not just for one day, one event, or one break, but for the long journey that follows.
That’s why at the heart of everything we do is our Continuing Care Programme a compassionate, year-round lifeline offering comfort, connection, and practical help to families facing life-limiting illnesses or uncertain futures.
This programme now reaches over 100 families regularly. We are proud to say that our phones are open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, because trauma doesn’t respect office hours and neither do we.
Support That Adapts to Every Family
Every family we support is unique, and so is our approach. Each activity within our Continuing Care Programme has been designed hand-in-hand with families, ensuring that what we offer meets real needs and breaks down real barriers.
Our Splash Club sessions offer a peaceful environment for children who can’t access mainstream pools due to accessibilty, medical needs, or trauma. Warm, quiet, and private, the sessions allow children to rediscover the joy of movement and freedom, while parents connect with others who understand their world. After swimming, families gather in a private tearoom to share stories, laughter, and friendship.
One parent beautifully described it: “For one hour, in that warm pool, we weren’t a family torn apart by cancer. We were just a mum, a dad, and two kids laughing in the water.”
Our Guiding Stars bereavement group supports parents and grandparents navigating the unimaginable pain of child loss. Moving away from clinical spaces, the group provides a gentle, informal setting where families can talk, share, and begin to heal together. It’s a space where love, grief, and remembrance are all held with care and understanding.
Meanwhile, our peer-based girls’ and boys’ groups help children and young people connect with others who understand what it’s like to live with uncertainty. These sessions give them freedom to be creative, explore emotions and build friendships.
Always There, Day and Night
Sometimes, what makes the biggest difference isn’t a programme or event, it’s simply knowing someone is there. Our founder and unsalaried CEO, Maria, provides round-the-clock phone support, often taking calls during the night from families who feel alone and overwhelmed. A reassuring voice at 2am can be a lifeline, a reminder that no one walks this journey alone.
Then there’s Hope, our much-loved elephant. With a voice recorder in one ear and space for a precious message in the other, Hope offers something tangible and deeply personal a heartbeat, a voice, a message of love that endures. For many families, Hope is more than a cuddly toy; it’s a symbol of everything me&dee stands for — love, memory, and hope.
Spaces for Healing and Reflection
Our memorial garden at Trent Valley Crematorium provides a peaceful sanctuary where families can grieve and remember, regardless of where their loved one was laid to rest. Designed with children in mind, it offers a safe and gentle place to talk about loss, to plant memories, and to find quiet moments of peace.
Real Change, Real Impact
Every day, we see how Continuing Care transforms lives. Families tell us they cope better, feel less isolated, and have stronger relationships as a result of our support. Parents share how knowing there’s always someone to call helps them through their darkest moments. Children who once felt excluded or different are now swimming, laughing, and making friends.
One child who lost all four limbs to sepsis refused to swim again — until joining Splash Club. Eleven months later, in the safety of our warm, private pool, they swam 18 lengths. Another pair of young twins with dwarfism, once excluded from water slides at public pools, now swim alongside their big sister, free from judgment or stares.
These moments of triumph, however small they may seem, are what Continuing Care is all about. They are the difference between surviving and truly living.
A Future Built on Care
Our vision has always been simple: to make sure that no family facing the most difficult times does so alone. We continue to grow and evolve, guided by the voices of the families we serve.
Because care should never have an end date. It should continue, gently, steadfastly, offering light through the darkest days and hope for the days to come.
At me&dee, Continuing Care means just that: care that continues, love that lasts, and a community that holds families close, no matter what tomorrow brings.
