Suzanne Gwynn, a registered nurse in Seattle, has worked intensely with children and young adults and their families in oncology, hematology and hospice care for almost 40 years.
Watching families live with unimaginable diagnosis and diseases compelled Suzanne to dream of a place in the community for them to have a break from the acute care of the hospital and the chronic care being provided at home. A place for rest and support for the entire family, a place she calls Ladybug House.
Mission
To provide children, adolescents, young adults, and their families rest and support from the challenges of caring for a child with a serious and often life-threatening illness.
Our Goal
Our immediate goal is to raise the funds to build Washington's first family-centered palliative care home with hospice support for children, adolescents, and young adults with life-threatening illnesses.
Our Care Philosophy
When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, we understand that the family’s world is turned upside down. For many, this is the beginning of an emotional journey which is unpredictable and full of challenges. Ladybug House will offer compassionate therapies which include pain and symptom management along with support services for the entire families’ physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.
We will establish a family support team to provide a full range of respite and hospice care services to individuals, couples or families. We believe palliative care can support families by providing time to love on each other without the worries of caregiving.
Why Ladybug House Is Needed
At any given moment in the United States, over 565,000 children are within the last six months of their lives.
Hospitals provide high quality hospice and palliative care, yet 80% of pediatric deaths occur in the hospital. Ladybug House would provide intermittent short stay breaks from the hospital and respite for families who are home, during treatment and chronic care phases and if needed, an option for end-of-life support in a home environment with a supportive, age appropirate team.
Ladybug House will provide support to families during the unimaginable in a home full of life, love and respect. We will meet families’ needs as they define them for as long as they need us. We will celebrate every day, every moment, and every life.
What we plan to do
In the United States there are only three age-appropriate palliative care homes for children: George Mark Children’s House in San Leandro, CA, Ryan House in Phoenix, AZ, and Crescent Cove on the outskirts of Minneapolis, MN. In the United Kingdom there are 60+ homes. Our neighbors in Vancouver, BC finished their second home in Abbotsford, BC 2013 with several others across Canada.
As a nonprofit, we will offer care with no out-of-pocket charges to the families.
Ladybug House will offer families an opportunity to connect and interact with other families experiencing similar circumstances, providing supportive relationships not found elsewhere.
What we will provide
24/7 professional medical care, quality respite and hospice care from the point of diagnosis through the trajectory of the disease and if needed hospice and bereavement support.
A range of flexible programs and services to meet families’ individual and changing needs.
Access to a team of medical doctors and nurses who specialize in family-centered palliative care.
Child life specialists, bereavement specialists, teachers and other disciplines of staff to support the family unit as conditions change.
A network of support for healing and understanding with special attention not only for parents, but also for siblings, grandparents and friends as they work through their difficult emotions of loss and grief.
Individual family suites as well as a variety of therapy rooms for music, art and sensory exploration, and out dream a kennel for family pets to visit.
A family style kitchen, staffed with a full-time cook.
Indoor and outdoor areas for meditation and reflection.
A physical therapy area and an interactive, outdoor covered playground.