Banbury mother launches fundraising campaign to help families at daughter's mental health treatment facility

Karen Evans launched a Go Fund Me fundraising web page to help the patients at the Priory hospital in Bristol, an independent behavioural and mental health care facility.

Karen said: "Maisie has been unwell with her mental health and anorexia for two and a half years now, the illness and pain of living with mental health issues is devastating. To watch your loved one suffer and to feel helpless to help her is heartbreaking.

"This is where we would like to try and make a difference, and it would mean so much if anyone would like to donate a small amount to help do that."

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how families can visit people in hospitals, including the Evans family. Only outdoor visits are allowed at the moment due to the pandemic.

The Evans family fundraising campaign aims to help patients and their families as they visit each other outside by providing the funds to replace the outside garden furniture at the facility.

Karen added: "We could not visit for four months and now when we visit we have so see our lovely girl outside in the garden area along with many other families seeing their loved ones.

"This is where we would love to make a difference, the garden furniture is very tired, and not much of it, so when we visit its not the most comfortable after a two hour drive and not great for the patients and all the other families in the same position as us.

"Please if you can help me to make a difference, and to say thank you for looking after our Mais it would mean so much to us all."

Anyone who would like to make a contribution to the Evans family fundraising campaign can use the following GoFundMe web link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/garden-furniture-for-patients-in-recovery

So far the campaign has raised £3,115 towards its £3,200 goal. But they would like to raise as much as possible, even if they pass the target.

Karen said: "We are overwhelmed at people's generosity, and so very thankful to each and every one. It means the world to us and to Maisie and the other patients."

The family has also launched the fundraising campaign as a way of raising awareness of the quality of care provided by the NHS and the health care centres available for mental health care. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week from May 10 to 16.

Karen added: "There is a lot of press coverage at the minute regarding lack of funding and waiting lists, which I'm fully supportive of, but I thought rather than always thinking of this and feeling negative I wanted to raise awareness of how fantastic the services are and the care given is amazing.

"When you have a child who is so unwell with mental health and an eating disorder it's heartbreaking to not be able to fix them or have answers as to how long it will be until they are better. All you can do is carry them through the hard days and love them. And when you then have to take them to a hospital so far away from home the worry is like no other.

"Maisie was looked after by the mental health team at the Elms in Banbury prior to being admitted to the Priory in Bristol, and they also have played a massive part in supporting her.

"I'm so thankful to them too. So when you get an amazing team of professionals like Maisie has at the priory in Bristol looking after her, keeping her safe and supporting her with recovery it means the world and makes a really tough time a little easier.

"It really is an amazing unit and they all work so hard. The support for Maisie and my family, who all miss her so much is incredible and this is my thank you to them all."