Warwick charity publishes third book to help comfort seriously ill children

Children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses could find some comfort through a new entry into a series of books to be published by a charity founded in memory of a Warwick girl.
Rachel Ollerenshaw with the third Olly The Brave book.Rachel Ollerenshaw with the third Olly The Brave book.
Rachel Ollerenshaw with the third Olly The Brave book.

Olly The Brave Back at School and The Wibbly Wobbly Tummy, which is being launched on Thursday (March 7) and is the third chapter in the story of the Molly Olly’s Wishes mascot lion as he copes with the next phase of his illness.

Three thousand copies have been printed which will form part of the Olly the Brave packs, which also contain a toy lion with its own Hickman line and detachable mane.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The charity was founded by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw following the death of their daughter Molly in 2011.

Molly OllerenshawMolly Ollerenshaw
Molly Ollerenshaw

Molly was diagnosed with a rare kind of kidney cancer five years earlier at the age of just three, after becoming ill during a family holiday.

The books have been written and illustrated by artist and author Diane Maybey from Warwick.

The first two were highly commended by the British Medical Association in its Patient Information Awards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The latest instalment aims to ease the transition for young patients, who have been in and out of hospital for a long period of time and are struggling after treatment, into as normal a life as possible.

Diane, who works as a therapeutic consultant at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, said: “I get a great sense of reward when children, families and professionals feed back that the books have helped them through some of the most difficult experiences.

“It brings me relief to know that the books are with children, helping them to make sense of their experiences.”

Copies will be distributed to hospitals across the UK and can also be applied for online.