Breathe On UK

Knights Cottage
Sackmore Lane
Marnhull
Sturminster Newton
Dorset
DT10 1PN

Tel and Fax: 01258 820 951 / 274
Web: www.breatheon.org.uk

Breathe On UK is a charity that aims to help parents and families whenever a child of any age becomes unable to breathe adequately and requires help, in addition to all the other problems of illness or effects from injury there may be.

The National Health Service does have special units for dealing with such problems, but care may involve travelling considerable distances. Doctors and nurses may also be very busy.

The parents who conceived this charity found that many of their questions remained unanswered, while some answers were incompletely understood. In their experience there also appeared to be a number of avoidable issues related to a lack of experience, particularly on the part of agency staff, that caused an impoverishment of a child's environment.

This charity aims to be able to listen, investigate, and suggest possible ways to help. It will not be duplicating existing services, but will aim to fill a niche that has so far been unprovided for.

Their objectives:

• To encourage the promotion of outreach services and respite care.
• To encourage and increase support for families in the community.
• To work with statutory / voluntary organisations and families to promote better understanding for caring for children on long-term ventilation.
• To fund a respite bed at Little Bridge House children's hospice to evaluate to use of such a facility.
• To organise children's and parent's clubs as well as further support for parents.
• To develop training modules on CD-ROM and DVD. Subjects to include: tracheostomy maintenance and, the impact of ventilator 'noise' on a child's capacity to hear and understand.