A CHRISTCHURCH boy has become the ‘face’ of the charity which supports his family.

Five-year-old Arthur was the face of children’s charity Rainbow Trust for National Sibling Day on April 10.

The charity provides support for Arthur’s family, with his little sister Esme diagnosed with a complex epileptic condition called SCN8A.

Esme’s condition means she has lost the ability to sit up and use her hands, and she struggles to hold her head up.

Since Esme was diagnosed at less than a year old, life has changed for her family, who have had to support her complex medical needs and attend regular hospital visits.

They first began receiving support from Rainbow Trust family support worker Georgia in January 2022.

Arthur and Esme’s mum Carly said: “I was borderline suicidal at one point. I was at my complete lowest. But Georgia is someone that I can just offload to.

"I can be at home on my own a lot without seeing another adult, so it’s just great to have her. Life without her would be really difficult; Arthur in particular would also really miss her – she takes him on days out and plans fun activities for him outside of the home.

“Time with Georgia is invaluable for Arthur, as he gets one to one time with her to do fun things that I don’t have time for due to Esme’s needs.”

The family has also benefitted from donated tickets to Paulton’s Park where they have attended Rainbow Trust family days out, giving them a chance to make memories together as a family, and helping big brother Arthur feel special.

Since March 2023, they been looked after by family support worker Michelle who continues to provide sibling support for Arthur.

Carly said: “Rainbow Trust has been there since just after Esme’s diagnosis – they’ve been on the journey with all of us and knows us really well.”

Rainbow Trust supports families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness.

Sibling support from the charity can help children learn important coping mechanisms and find an outlet for their feelings.

To donate to Rainbow Trust visit https://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/donate