Bristol family raises awareness of accessibility support for children with complex medical needs

Published On: June 6th, 2026

A Bristol family is sharing their daughter’s extraordinary story of surviving cancer, to highlight the accessibility support that can make daily life safer and easier for children with complex medical needs, and how charities like Jessie May help families find and access that support.

Their message comes as Bristol reports one of the highest proportions of children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities ) in the country, with 21.9% of pupils requiring additional support – a 59% increase since 2016.*

As more families navigate life with medical or developmental needs, awareness of the adaptations, equipment, and specialist provision available has never been more important. For families like Micky’s, this support can transform daily life, helping children stay safe, confident, and included at home, at school, and in their communities.

At 22 months old, Micky, who is now five, was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma – a rare and aggressive liver cancer. Following lifesaving transplant surgery and a lengthy recovery, she spent months in hospital and isolation before beginning the long journey back to everyday life.

“She’s so sociable, so outgoing – I don’t know how she got through all of that,” Mum Liz said. “But she did. She just grabbed life by the horns.”

Read Micky’s full story here: Micky’s Story – Jessie May

Accessibility at Home and School

As Micky regained strength – learning to walk again, starting school and later having her stoma reversed – the family began exploring what support could help keep her safe. Everyday environments carried risks; she broke her leg twice; once on the small steps leading into their house.

“Her bones are more hollow and brittle because of the immobility, the chemo, and high dose steroids when she was acutely unwell.” Liz explained.

With guidance from Jessie May, the family accessed council‑funded home adaptations including railings on the garden steps, a ramped back door so the buggy could be pushed in safely, and a stair rail to help Micky relearn how to climb the stairs. Physiotherapy teams also provided equipment such as a commode and bathing aids.

“She just didn’t have the core strength,” Liz said. “Now that her stoma has been reversed, things are improving, but it’s been a long journey.”

Choosing a school brought its own challenges as well. The fully accessible school that best met Micky’s needs was further away, and without a bus route Liz pushed Micky uphill in a buggy for 25 minutes each day to school.

“She’s getting older and more conscious of being the only one in a pushchair,” Liz said. Jessie May then stepped in knowing that something needed to change.

How Jessie May Helped

When Liz felt overwhelmed, Jessie May’s Family Liaison Officer stepped in, helping the family understand what support was available and suggesting an application for a cargo bike to make the school journey manageable. The council then approved funding for an electric cargo bike, transforming daily life for Liz and Micky.

“Receiving some help, with the kindness of Jessie May, has given us such a boost,” Liz said. “It got us out of a rut. And Micky loves it, and her pink bike helmet!”

Beyond nursing care, Jessie May’s Team Around the Family service provides practical, emotional and social support to help families manage the wider challenges of caring for a child with complex needs. This includes help accessing benefits and grants, support with school and education planning, guidance on equipment and home adaptations, and being a consistent point of contact when things feel overwhelming.

“Many families don’t realise what support may be available to them,” said Caryn Davies, Team Around the Family Manager and People Lead. “Our role is to help parents navigate services, understand their options, and access the equipment, adaptations or community support that can make everyday life that little bit easier.”

Jessie May is encouraging families, professionals, and local authorities to help spread awareness of the support available, and to ensure families feel confident reaching out for guidance.

You can find out more about what support is available to families like Micky’s here: Family resources – Jessie May.

“It’s the little acts of kindness that get you through,” Liz said. “The people who show up. The ones who help you breathe. Jessie May has been a huge part of that for us.”

If you’re looking for this kind of support for your child, or if you’d like to help Jessie May be there for more families like Micky’s, you can find out more here: Homepage – Jessie May.