BOXES brimming with snacks were delivered to Southampton Hospital last week in memory of a 10-year-old girl who died of cancer.
Sophie Fairall was diagnosed with terminal anaplastic rhabdomyosarcoma cancer in September 2020 and passed away, aged 10, in September 2021.
She was treated at both Southampton and Portsmouth Hospital.
During her diagnosis, mum Charlotte, 41, set up a blog to keep family and friends updated with Sophie's journey, which later led to fundraising and the creation of Sophie's snack boxes in January 2022.
Charlotte said: "This is Sophie’s legacy, filling a massive gap that has been there for decades.
"The snack boxes came from our own experience in hospital. We struggled to access food because Sophie didn’t always want me to leave her room and parents just don’t get food in hospital.
"There are the shops and restaurants there, but that’s on top of the added costs of having a child in hospital as well.
"A meal in the restaurant costs between £5 and £7 and some of the children are there for months, so imagine the cost for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cost is huge.
"We wanted to take the pressure off parents with the snack boxes. Plus, Sophie loved her food and loved it since the day she was born, so it just felt quite fitting."
Since the inception of Sophie's snack boxes at the start of the year, demand for the boxes at Southampton and Portsmouth Hospital has increased.
The boxes are full of items such as Pot Noodles, Mug Shots, chocolate bars, sweets, crisps, cereal bars and more.
Charlotte said: "It has expanded more than we imagined and we provide the boxes to every children’s ward in Southampton.
"The only facilities in a room are a kettle and a microwave, so we try to make things accessible and easy as people are going through so much.
"Every week we do top ups for both hospitals. The demand for the snack boxes is increasing as people know the service is there.
"Recently, a mum told me that without our snack boxes, her family wouldn’t have been able to eat for two days. Parents going without food is a huge problem and it’s ridiculous.
"We are basically a food bank for hospitals and we wanted to make food one less thing to stress about."
The snack boxes are created thanks to people's donations through Amazon and at various drop off points across the south coast.
The full list of donation drop-off points can be read below and donations can be made by messaging Charlotte through the 'Charlotte's journey' Facebook page or on Instagram (@sophies_sarcoma_journey).
Places to drop off donations:
STUBBINGTON
Pixies Hair Salon
Crofton Anne Dale Federation of Schools
Holy Rood Church
LEE ON SOLENT
The Book Shop on the High Street
LOCKS HEATH
The Mulberry Bush 51 Locks Road
Tilly's on 95 Forton Road
Anchor - Pearce Court on George Street
Doing the Rounds. on 51 Stoke Road
Rogers JiuJitsu Academy Po12 4BG
Zodiac Florist Whitworth Road
The Funky Barnet on Forton Road
The Bridal Hall Palmyra Road
Giddy Goat yarns 1 The High Street
FAREHAM
A-Plan Insurance - 90 West Street
TITCHFIELD /SEGENSWORTH
Dunelm
B&Q Po14 4PH
SWANWICK
Swanwick Train Station
WHITELEY
The Eight Foundation 1460 Parkway, PO15 7AF
Tesco's Whiteley
PORTSMOUTH
Cosham Community Centre - PCC
Blossoms of Portsmouth - Florist
Chichester District Dog Rescue on 343 Copnor Road and 406 London Road
PORTCHESTER
Co-op Funeralcare on West Street
HEDGE END
Hedge End Train Station SWR
HAVANT
Easy Bathrooms PO9 1JH
EMSWORTH
Emsworth Sweets Racton Rd, PO10 7SY
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