Our son, Isaac Maxwell Brodie, was born on the 1st February 2016. Just before he was born, we discovered that he had a mass on his brain, which was later diagnosed as a tumour in the brain stem. 

Following two weeks of care at UCLH and GOSH, we were devastated to learn that there was nothing that could be done for Isaac. It was at this point that we made the decision to take him off his ventilator and move to Haven House, a hospice for children.

This turned out to be the perfect choice – somewhere that we
would still have the support of a nursing team, but where we could take on even more of Isaac’s care ourselves and create many ‘normal’ family moments together. The hospice is almost entirely funded by charity donations (supplemented by a small grant from the council), and yet their generosity was simply overwhelming. From the kosher deli meals provided on our arrival, to the two-bedroom apartment they gave us to stay in, nothing was too much, and the staff went out of their way to ensure we were as comfortable as possible.

One of the most special gifts that being in the hospice gave us was the chance to take Isaac outside for the first time, and we can't emphasise enough how wonderful this was. The Haven House gardens were truly beautiful, and to have photos of us and Isaac, by the blooming spring flowers, made everything seem so much more real. Even just a ten minute walk outside has become a cherished memory, and our trip to a café outside the hospice will always be one of the most precious moments of our lives.

We experienced all sorts of emotions in the 18 days that Isaac was with us, from the moment we found out about his illness, until the day he died. One of the hardest to deal with was the feeling that none of this was true – that we were living in a bubble or a terrible dream, where nothing was real and where we simply couldn't comprehend what was going on. But this has been real – this has really happened to us, and Isaac. And the teams at both GOSH and Haven House helped us to create those magical memories and gave us those experiences that, when we look back, do make things real. We were blessed with the most special little boy, our own little miracle, and we were able to live each of his 18 days to the full.  And for that we will always be grateful to GOSH and Haven House – for everything they did for us and for every memory they have given us.

We hope by fundraising in Isaac's memory we will enable this incredible hospice to continue to help other babies and children, and their families, at their times of need.