The world's first children's hospice
Based in East Oxford, Helen & Douglas House started life in November 1982, when Helen House and the children’s hospice movement was founded by Sister Frances Dominica.
As the world’s first children’s hospice, Helen House has gone on to inspire 54 others across the UK and around the world.
The inspiration for Helen House was a little girl called Helen who was left with severe and irreversible brain damage after an emergency operation to remove a brain tumour. Helen’s parents took her home from hospital to care for Helen in her family surroundings. A friendship developed between Sister Frances and Helen’s parents and on occasions Sister Frances looked after Helen for short periods to give her parents a break. From this friendship the idea of a small homely hospice for children sprung.