How 'Everything Ellie' began...

“Life is always better at the Beach” they say and being faced with the news that Ellie’s secondary Leukaemia had returned and treatment would be stopped so heading for the North Devon Coast, Ellie’s go to place, seemed the perfect thing to do.

 

Ellie had been under treatment for Cancer and Leukaemia since aged fourteen, spent her sixteenth birthday on the oncology ward, then 3 months later looking forward to her trip dog sledding the terminal diagnosis came as a huge shock. It was the most surreal time, we had expressed that Ellie wasn’t told of how long she had, it was too much for her years and the weeks were going so fast, eight weeks later she was gone.

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During the 18 months treatment, we had missed a lot as a family, cancelled holidays, plans were ditched at the last minute, infections came at the wrong time and we just stopped planning anything nice, it has a big impact on the family unit, the childhood you’d planned is lost on both the child on treatment and the siblings.

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Having had a ‘How about a Landmark’ conversation, the Beach Huts at Saunton Sands beach were mentioned by Ellie. We penned a letter to the owner of the beach and to our amazement a hand written postcard was received within days, Ellie was so pleased to receive it. It wouldn’t come to fruition whilst she was with us but that Spring (2015) we chose Beach Hut No 20 at Saunton Sands to be a summer escape. Our family and friends were planning BBQ’s and cake sales to raise the rent and families like ours would be able to use it for a simple day at the seaside, tranquility, simple and relaxing.

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Our community came together like no-other and our charity Everything Ellie was born, our short term plans with the Beach Hut were welcomed and great family memory making days were being made for families with terminal or life threatening illnesses, ‘Our day felt like a holiday’ one visitor wrote. The funds grew and before long we had to make bigger plans which would be our own holiday home in North Devon for longer stays with one very important rule..... they’re would be no cancellations just postponements and if a families plans had to change last minute than so would ours and they would have the next availability.

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Our beach hut at Saunton Sands Beach North Devon is for families, carers,  siblings and community groups to spend a day away, enjoy the natural beauty that it provides and create lasting happy memories together, to relax & take in the view.

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There is much benefit to being on the coast and there is something about spending a day here that feels like a holiday.

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Sometimes you have to accept we can’t beat the tide, you

have to just wait for it to come in and see what it left behind

– for our family it left us, our friends and community a

Landmark to create and a promise to help you make the

best time of your worse time.

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All services are free for the visitors, referrals are made

through a professional working with the family, health care

consultant, hospice or hospital ward.

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All in memory and honour of our precious girl, Ellie Easton x