We give the families of children diagnosed with serious, chronic or life-limiting diseases a chance to get away together. At the Arche Herzensbrücken retreat, parents, siblings and sick children find a haven where they can take a breather and recharge their batteries before returning to the very real challenges of their daily lives.

Whenever and wherever a family receives the diagnosis, coming to terms with a child’s serious illness pushes parents and siblings to their physical and mental limits. Our nursing care not only takes a load off parents and provides some breathing space but also also allows parents, who otherwise could not leave the sick child’s side, to spend uninterrupted periods with their partner and other children for the first time. Thanks to our therapeutic services, families have access to resources, in addition to an outlet and coping mechanisms for their worries and fears. Our multidiscipinary team spanning qualified psychologists, psychotherapists, educators, hospice carers and volunteers provides the family with sensitive guidance and support to navigate the inescapable presence of illness and death as well as the need to say goodbye and mourn.

When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting disease, their whole family’s life is turned upside down. Caring for a sick child pushes parents and siblings to their physical and mental limits. Burnout, depression and chronic exhaustion are often the result. Since the parents’ relationship takes a back seat, seven out of ten couples separate within the first five years. Siblings do not have it any easier. On a day-to-day basis, they are not only constantly sidelined and may even have to take on caring for the sick child, but are also severely traumatized in case of their sibling’s death. Unless the entire family makes a concerted effort to pull together, the challenges of a serious illness can feel insurmountable. Experts agree that shared periods of rest and relaxing breaks can benefit the family as a whole. Since conventional accommodations such as hotels lack the appropriate infrastructure and professional medical care, families are left without any real options, especially as there are no state-subsidized facilities.