Kate Middleton Releases Video Message for Children's Hospice Week (VIDEO)
Kate Middleton spoke out in her first ever recorded video message urging the public to support Children's Hospice Week which runs April 26 to May 3.
In the 1:55 minute video the Duchess of Cambridge, who is Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH), pleaded for the public's support in helping "children and young people with life-limiting conditions" along with their families. Children's Hospice Week is run by UK children's palliative care charity Together for Short Lives.
"As Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices I have been fortunate to see at first hand the remarkable work that they do for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. It is simply transformational," Middleton said.
"There are 49 children's hospice services across the UK, all providing similar invaluable and life enhancing care to thousands of families. Children's hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimaginable pain. The support they give is vital," she continued.
Middleton, who is currently six months along in her pregnancy, is often photographed interacting with sick children and she along with Prince William plays a very active roles in lending support to the less fortunate. EACH, which relies on public donations, helps young people across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
"In order to carry out this wonderful work, our help is needed. With our support, those providing children's palliative care can continue to offer these extraordinary services. It does not bear thinking about what these families would do without this," the Duchess said.
Barbara Gelb, who is chief executive of Together for Short Lives, praised the Duchess for helping promote the campaign.
"I am so delighted and very excited that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, as Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices, has generously given her support to Children's Hospice Week," Gelb told Mail online.
"I know this extraordinary backing will mean so much to all the UK's 49,000 children with palliative care needs and their families and will really help raise awareness of what these families need, today and in the future," she added.