Darwen boy launches Great Big House Giveaway fundraiser for Derian House Children’s Hospice
Freddie Halliwell attended the ceremony to launch the fundraiser, which has a new house as the top prize.
(L to R) Paul Jones, Managing Director of Kingswood Homes, Kari Hewitt holding baby Freddie, Sam Halliwell, David Robinson, Chief Executive of Derian House Children’s Hospice.
Submitted by Caroline Taylor
A young boy with a rare genetic condition has launched a prize draw for the charity that has supported him by helping to break the ground for a new house.
Freddie Halliwell, who has recently celebrated his first birthday, attended a ceremony to mark the official start on a house, which will be in the prize draw for Derian House Children’s Hospice, as part of the Great Big House Giveaway.
The hospice in Chorely, Lancashire offers respite, palliative and end of life care to children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses.
Freddie spent his first six-and-a-half weeks in hospital, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
His parents Kari and Sam, were told that developmental delays because of his condition would mean their little boy would never walk or talk.
But the couple are hopeful he will prove them wrong.
Freddie now visits the hospice regularly to attend playgroup sessions and enjoy the hydrotherapy pool.
Kari, from Darwen, Lancashire said: "Freddie loves coming to Derian House. He smiled for the first time whilst in the hydrotherapy pool there, which is a moment I will always treasure.
"We all get so much out of coming to Derian. We’ve made new friends at playgroup and it’s a lovely atmosphere.
"I always wanted to take him to baby sensory groups but didn’t like the thought of people looking at him funny because he has a tube in his nose and looks a bit different, but at Derian it’s not like that. You feel accepted and the staff are all so friendly and warm."
People can buy tickets from £5 to be entered into a prize draw to win the £250,000 house on the Green Hills development by Kingswood Homes in Blackburn, Lancashire.
There will be a guaranteed winner of the prize draw, to be announced at a glittering gala ball in September.
To find out more about Derian House click here.
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