What would your response be if you’d met a two year old girl recovering from a brain tumour and was now in a coma being looked after by her parents at home? Pity? Offers of financial help? Sister Frances knew that the Christian duty of care needed to go further than platitudes and kind words. So she regularly took the girl into her own home to care for her and give her parents some respite. Out of this she founded Helen House, and the children’s hospice movement was born. Trained as a nurse, she had a dramatic conversion in her twenties and pursued the contemplative life. She now works tirelessly to bring these twin strands of care and peace to those she helps, and a challenge to all those who hear her about living a lie of love.
Highlights of the recent BBC 2 documentary, The Children of Helen House Revisited followed by a conversation with Sister Frances. Helen House was set up by Sister Frances to provide respite and end-of-life care for children with life-shortening conditions.
