The Jigsaw Appeal was an initiative of Eden Valley Hospice to develop the children's day care unit at the Hospice into a full 4 bedded
in-patient Children's Hospice.

Eden Valley Hospice was established in October 1991 to provide specialist care and support for those in the community with terminal or life-limiting illnesses.  The hospice offers a  day care centre offering practical help and support for adults.  A twelve-bedded “In-Patient” unit and a Children’s Day care unit catering for up to six children with life limited conditions a day.

The hospice provides specialist *palliative and medical care in addition to complementary therapies, chaplaincy and bereavement support for as long as necessary.

Eden Valley Hospice adopts a **holistic approach to the care it provides and is firmly established as a "home from home" to both the adults and children who come into contact with the hospice.

Following extensive research it was identified that around 300 families in Cumbria and the south west of Scotland have a child who has a life-limiting condition and could benefit from the services a bedded Children's Hospice could provide.

In June 2005, Eden Valley Hospice launched the Jigsaw Appeal to raise £1M to convert and extend the day care facilities into a four bedded Children's Hospice offering overnight accommodation, extended day care facilities and an end of life suite. Work started to build this facility in November 2006 and it became fully operational in December 2007..

The appeal was supported by a number of Patrons under the Presidency of ITV's Fiona Armstrong. 

These Patrons included Hal Bagot, Sir Chris Bonington, Dean of Carlisle The Very Reverend Mark Boyling, High Sheriff of Cumbria Robin Burgess, Professor Chris Carr, Dr Jim Cox, Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria James Cropper, Tony Cunningham MP, Bishop of Carlisle The Right Reverend Graham Dow, John Dunning, Annette Gibbons, Lord Anthony Hothfield, Lady Inglewood, David Maclean MP, Eric Martlew MP, Rosie Mathison, Brooks Mileson, Dr Adam Naylor, Judith Pattinson, Eric Robson, Prof. David Vaughan and John Wills.

All of whom continue to support the new facility. It was decided to call the Children's Hospice Eden House in recognition of the close association with Eden Valley Hospice. For more information about the Hospice click here.

* Palliative -  Treatment that enhances comfort and improves the quality of an
individual’s life it is very considerate of pain and symptom control and normally takes over once a condition reaches a point where a cure for a condition has to be abandoned . No specific therapy is excluded from consideration and often 'complimentary' treatments are used as part of a palliative care regime.

**Holistic - An approach that considers the whole person i.e. physically, emotionally and spiritually when considering the appropriate care.

Eden House is a member of the
Association of Children's Hospices.