A request from pediatrician Caroline Sprinz at Helen & Douglas House for clothes from sustainable children’s clothing company Frugi has led to a £10,000 donation to the charity. Helen & Douglas House is a charity which provides palliative care for babies and children in and around Oxfordshire.

Frugi, which means fruits of the earth in Latin, is a Cornish-based ethical children’s clothing and accessories company, recognizable by its bright prints and clever details. Frugi’s philosophy has always been to give back, especially to environmental charities and those focusing on children. Every year, Frugi dedicates 1% of its annual turnover – whether profit or not – to charity through its Small clothes BIG change initiative. It’s a crucial part of Frugi’s larger mission to help protect the planet we all play on.

Eunice’s story

In November 2020 Eunice Keightley, now three, and her mother Tracy from Broughton, Milton Keynes, were going through a particularly stressful time with Eunice suffering from numerous difficult symptoms and multiple hospital appointments. As a result, Dr. Sprinz contacted Frugi to see if they could send some dresses, pajamas, and socks to Eunice to help cheer her up.

Eunice started coming to Helen & Douglas House in early 2020 when she was two years old and showed early signs of scoliosis in her spine. A subsequent MRI and biopsy confirmed that she had a spinal cord tumor. Eunice began 18 months of chemotherapy and at the same time began visiting Helen & Douglas House initially for pain management and now for support stays at Oxford Hospice. Eunice suffers from complex pain due to her scoliosis and the complication of the tumor that sits on her spine. She needs day and night care and the only time her mother Tracy can get respite from her 24 hour care is during their visits to Helen & Douglas House.

Dr. Sprinz contacted Frugi because their clothes are distinctive, and she immediately noticed that Eunice was wearing a Frugi outfit during one of their visits. Upon learning of the existence of ‘Frugi Fairies’ on the brand’s website, a generous gesture where Frugi offers to struggling British families, she emailed Eunice a request for clothing, which was received. with pleasure.

Dr. Sprinz was also made aware of Frugi’s charitable initiatives by the Small clothes BIG change program. She says:

“We applied and they’ve now given us £10,000 which is really amazing! This money will be used to fund support stays for more children like Eunice in the future and will make a huge difference for so many families facing similar challenges.

Eunice’s mother, Tracy Keightley, so appreciates the amazing work of Helen & Douglas House. She says:

“It’s like a giant games room! There is enough space for Eunice not to feel “contained” and enjoy arts and crafts, painting and the therapy pool. Despite her complications, Eunice is a very determined and smiling child. She is non-verbal and autistic, but copes incredibly well with the pain she experiences due to her conditions.

As Eunice’s full-time carer, Tracy barely sleeps at home as she has to be on call day and night. Visits to the Family Flats at Helen & Douglas House offer Tracy a much-needed break and a chance to have time for herself, including a restful night’s sleep.

She says:

“We are unsure of Eunice’s life expectancy, but without Helen & Douglas House our family would struggle to manage her pain and care. Hospice support visits give us the chance to get the care and support we need; I don’t think we could have made it without them.

This year Frugi is proud to have reached the £1million milestone for charitable causes, meaning the brand has sold over £100million worth of organic clothing since its inception in 2004, ensuring which it also gives back through its supply chain. 85% of Frugi products are made from GOTS certified organic cotton. This means the fabric is fully traceable and ensures workers are treated fairly; it’s also better for the environment by using less water.

Frugi also supports Eco-Schools and LEAF to help create change and inspire the next generation of eco-heroes by encouraging children to improve their environment at school and in the local community.

CEO Sarah Clark said:

“Being able to give back to children in need like Eunice is what our charity program is all about and I am personally moved to learn of the direct impact of this donation. Frugi’s mission is to reach out and help the most vulnerable children across the UK as our charity initiatives continue to grow.