WellChild is the national charity for sick children. They help seriously ill children and their families throughout the UK as they deal with complex medical conditions.

The charity's dedicated team of WellChild Children's Nurses work with sick children and their families across the country. These specialist nurses help to ensure children with complex needs can leave hospital and return home. They are vital in the prevention of frequent re-admissions.

Katie is a WellChild Nurse based at Kirklees in Yorkshire. One of the children she supports is 18 month old Noah who has serious conditions including a very rare form of lung disease.

Noah's mum Jill said: "I cannot speak highly enough of our WellChild Nurse Katie and what she has done for us as a family. The transition home was so much easier under her care and she continues to help us tremendously."

Huge advances in medical care mean that today, more children are surviving what would have been terminal illnesses in the past. But survival does not always mean cure. Many children are left with long term care needs. They may have neurological problems, metabolic conditions, chronic organ malfunctions or rare syndromes.

Many depend on medical equipment such as ventilators, monitors and feeding pumps. Often they need constant observation and support.

WellChild Children's Nurses carry out wide ranging work which includes: helping the child get home from hospital and back to their family, making sure the family gets regular respite time, arranging for carers to help with feeding, organising new equipment for children and supporting through bereavement.

In 2008 BWCF made a grant to provide half of the funds for a WellChild nurse in Liverpool for 3 years, and in 2012 BWCF made a further grant to provide similar funding for another WellChild Nurse for a 3 year period, this time in Wales. After 3 years the funds for each nurse is provided by the NHS.