Blog
Real Stories: How Tree of Hope is Helping Families Access Healthcare Faster
22 Jul 2026
When a child needs specialist healthcare, timing is key.
For many families of seriously ill and disabled children, NHS waiting lists mean delays to therapies, equipment and treatment that could make a life-changing difference. That's why thousands of families turn to fundraising to access the healthcare their child needs sooner.
At Tree of Hope, our purpose is simple: to bridge that gap.
Our 2024/25 Annual Review marks the first year of our three-year Bridging the Gap Strategy (2024–2027). While strategies often focus on plans and targets, ours is about something much more important: helping families access vital healthcare more quickly, supporting them through every stage of their fundraising journey, and ensuring every donation makes a meaningful difference.
Here's what we've achieved in the first year.
Helping children access healthcare sooner
The need for our support has never been greater. According to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 314,000 children are currently waiting for community healthcare support, including therapies, with one in five waiting for more than a year.
For many parents, waiting simply isn't an option because early intervention can be the difference between a child having independence or not. This growing pressure is reflected in the families joining Tree of Hope. During 2024/25:
76% of newly onboarded families were fundraising for children under the age of 10.
Nearly 58% were fundraising for children aged five and under, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
Thanks to our improved support and fundraising guidance:
50% of families received their first donation within two weeks of launching their appeal.
Families accessed healthcare in an average of just 11 weeks.
More than half began accessing treatment in under six weeks.
Compared with NHS waiting times that can stretch well beyond a year, these results show how fundraising can help children receive therapies and treatment when they need them most.
Better support for every family
Supporting families goes far beyond helping them raise money.
In 2025 we appointed our first-ever Family Support Manager, strengthening the personalised support available from a family's very first enquiry through to the completion of their fundraising journey.
Following a comprehensive service review, we introduced improvements to:
standardise communications and processes
strengthen safeguarding and compliance
improve consistency of support
enhance data collection and reporting
The impact has been significant.
During the year:
Family enquiries increased by 33%.
The average time from joining Tree of Hope to receiving a first donation fell by 29%, to under three weeks.
82% of newly onboarded families received donations during the year, compared with just 46% before the strategy began.
Income raised by newly onboarded families increased by 11%.
These improvements mean families can begin fundraising with greater confidence and start accessing healthcare more quickly.
Our team of just nine staff supported 417 families, with 310 actively fundraising, accessing healthcare or both, providing tailored advice, encouragement and practical support throughout their journey.
Building partnerships that reach more families
Many families discover Tree of Hope because someone they trust recommends us.
In fact, 76% of new family enquiries came through external referral partners during 2024/25.
Over the year we worked alongside 222 suppliers and partner organisations, including healthcare professionals, equipment providers, charities, exhibitions such as Kidz to Adultz, and families who have experienced our support first-hand.
These partnerships are essential because every family's needs are different, and every partnership helps more families find the support they need sooner.
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy remain among the most common unmet needs, and around one in four families also travelled overseas for specialist treatment unavailable through NHS pathways.
During 2024/25, families spent more than £1 million on healthcare costs, including:
£367,000 (36%) on therapies
£261,000 (26%) on specialist equipment
£139,000 (14%) on transport
£125,000 (12%) on healthcare-related costs
£118,000 (12%) on home adaptations
Measuring the difference we make
Fundraising is only part of the journey. Parents caring for seriously ill or disabled children often face emotional, financial and practical challenges long before they contact us.
That's why this year we introduced our new Outcomes Framework. Rather than measuring only how much money is raised, we're now measuring the wider impact Tree of Hope has on families' wellbeing and confidence throughout their fundraising journey.
Families joining Tree of Hope currently report an average emotional wellbeing score of 2.8 out of 5, showing that many arrive feeling overwhelmed and under significant pressure.
By understanding these experiences, we can continue improving the support we provide and help families finish their fundraising journey feeling more confident, supported and hopeful.
Why accountability matters
We're incredibly proud of what has been achieved during the first year of our strategy. Together, families raised £787,919 and spent more than £1 million accessing healthcare for their children.
But the challenge continues to grow. The number of disabled children in the UK has increased by 11% over the last decade to 1.8 million, while almost one in three parents report being unable to access the support their child needs.
These figures remind us why our work matters. They also remind us that we're only just getting started.
Join us in Bridging the Gap
Whether you're a family looking for support, an individual donor, or a business searching for a Charity of the Year partnership that creates measurable, life-changing impact, we'd love to hear from you.
Every fundraiser launched, every partnership formed and every donation made helps another child access the treatment, therapy or equipment they need sooner.
Together, we can continue bridging the gap between what families need and what they can access.
Support Tree of Hope today and help seriously ill and disabled children receive the healthcare they deserve.
