Paradise Kids

I have a son Harrison who is 5 years old, he has a twin sister Chloe. Harrison has Cystic Fibrosis which is a genetic illness that will be with him for life, Chloe fortunately is fine.

When Harrison was a small child around 18 months/2 years he had a lot of invasive tests done on him to make sure his lung function was healthy and normal. Harry became very frightened and we had problems with him having nightmares and being extra clingy. When he was 3 his father passed away after a long illness which added to his anxiety.

Luckily for us my mother came into contact with Lizzi Swatland who after learning of the problems we were having offered Harry a chance to do the Illness Support Program. Harry had a wonderful support friend called Deniece who went through all the topics that were bothering Harry in a very gentle manner that involved a lot of fun and games, allowing Harry to express his feelings in a safe nurturing environment.

Within 3 sessions of the program we noticed a huge change in Harry, he was a lot less clingy and the horrible nightmares were gone. He was feeling a lot more secure and could understand why his daddy wasn’t here with us anymore.

I think it is important for children with a life threatening illness to have this sort of counseling so that they realize why they are different before it becomes an issue. I cannot express how grateful we are to Lizzi and her team at Paradise Kids – they do a marvelous job and we as a family feel so lucky to be included.

Caroline Maguire