Martin House Hospice

Coordinates: 53°54′01″N 1°20′38″W / 53.9002°N 1.3438°W / 53.9002; -1.3438

Martin House is a children's hospice in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. It provides care and support to families in which there is a child or children with a short life expectancy.

The Duchess of Kent opened Martin House in 1987 thanks to the generosity of thousands of people who raised money to provide family-led care for children with life-limiting conditions. The ongoing day-to-day care of the child with a life-limiting illness, which may go on for a number of years, can be a physical and emotional strain on the whole family. Martin House shares with the families the care of the child. This can take the form of symptom control, emergency care, respite care and terminal care, and the care can be provided at Martin House or in the family home. The charity tries to offer flexible care and support to all the family taking account of their background and culture.

The hospice's aim is to provide a home from home with a lively, friendly atmosphere where children and their families can enjoy the best quality of life. Although a proportion of our children suffer from cancer, the majority of children suffer from long term progressive disorders such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Batten's Disease and Cystic Fibrosis.

The charity welcomes all the family, giving them a break together or time to themselves in a comfortable, home-from-home atmosphere. It is a place of love and understanding, of fun, laughter and friendship - where they can have a full night's sleep and "recharge their batteries".

Martin House's facilities include nine specialist children's bedrooms, eight family rooms for parents and siblings, six bedrooms in an adjoining unit for teenagers and young adults, spacious sitting rooms, playrooms, multi-sensory room, Jacuzzi, library and a music room.

The 6-acre (24,000 m2) landscaped gardens have been designed for the enjoyment of the children and families during their stay in Martin House and incorporate a range of interesting equipment together with wheelchair swings, roundabout and adventure trail.

Although the care the charity provides is free to their families, it costs a great deal to run Martin House to the high standards they demand. Martin House has little access to public funds and relies almost entirely on charitable donations from individuals, charities, trusts, companies, organisations and the dedication and the enthusiastic support of its many friends. Without their generosity and help the charity would not be able to continue to provide the much-needed special care to the children and their families.