Lucy

Why a more human, connected approach to healthcare matters now more than ever When Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales shared her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, it was a moment that resonated deeply across the UK and beyond. Not simply because of who she is, but because of how she chose to speak about it — with honesty, vulnerability, and a recognition of something many patients already know: cancer is not just a medical condition. It is a life-altering experience. In her most recent...

Sleep is meant to be basic. Essential. One of the few things you should be able to rely on, even when life feels uncertain. But for many families raising a child with complex needs, sleep does not feel basic at all. It becomes something fragile. Interrupted. Negotiated in fragments. Measured in alarms, panic, repositioning, seizures, and the long wait for morning. For our family, nights are shaped by the reality of raising a child with epilepsy, cerebral palsy and autism. Add severe sleep...

I am a parent of a child with additional needs. I am also the co‑founder of My Penelope , a digital tool built to help parents navigate the SEND system, keep track of provision, and avoid falling through the cracks. I live in both worlds every day: the emotional reality of parenting a child with significant needs, and the systemic reality of trying to make a failing SEND system work. That is why I am deeply concerned by the direction of travel in the current SEND reform proposals . Monday’s...