Royal Cornwall Hospital
Tree of Links

We understand the food on the trolley may not always be what your child may want or be offered at the times they may feel hungry, due to treatment regimes, taste aversions or feeling too unwell. Please advise if your child has ANY food allergies.

There are alternatives: 

• We can supply a voucher for food/coffee/cakes (Usually £5 per person/family) Please ask a member of the play team who hold these vouchers or one of the nursing team or your Outreach keyworker. These are accepted in The Royal restaurant, which serves hot and cold food options, coffee, pastries and cakes – please see below for opening times.

• Feel free to bring your own food from home, which parent/carers can heat up via a microwave allocated for parent/patient use in the parents’ kitchen. This is based by the entrance door as you enter the ward, 2nd door on the left-hand side. There is also a fridge/freezer accessible to parents for use, with limited space.

• Beverage point on the ward – past the nurses’ station on the left-hand side. Tea/coffee/milk/squash available at all times.

• There is a freshwater drink dispenser behind the nurses’ station or you can request bottled water from the hostess or a staff member.

• There is a patient food cupboard that can be stocked with items of your child's choice in the staff kitchen. Please ask the hostess for specific foods and we will endeavour to accommodate although some items may need to be brought in from home. Out of hours the cupboard can be accessed by staff, as this is locked at all times.

• There is also a  store cupboard next to the beverage point on the ward that staff can access for snacks at any time of the day/night.
  
  

Restaurant and café information

Our restaurants, cafés and shops are open to visitors, patients and staff, and their opening hours are listed below. (You should also ask for advice from a doctor or nurse if you’re on a special diet and thinking of using the restaurants.)

Cafes

• The Royal: Monday to Friday: 7am until 4pm
  Selection of delicious, freshly prepared hot and cold food available in our restaurant.

• Trelawny Café: 6.30am to 9pm every day
  Also pizza will be available from 5pm every day.
  Freshly prepared sandwiches, jacket potatoes, paninis, pasties, breakfast items, snacks and delicious cakes as well as daily hot specials.
  Saturday and Sunday menu at Trelawny Café:
  Selection of curries, jacket potatoes, pasties, soup and hot bap of the day.

• Knowledge Spa coffee shop: Monday to Friday 8am to 3pm

Freshly prepared sandwiches, paninis as well as snacks and delicious cakes. 

• League of Friends Coffee Bar, Tower Block entrance: Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.
  Serving a range of snacks and drinks.

• League of Friends Refreshment Bar, Mermaid Centre: Open during clinic hours, Monday to Friday.
  Serving a range of snacks and drinks.

Vending machines

• Tower entrance – Snacks, hot drinks

• Renal – Cold drinks, snacks

• Maternity – Hot drinks, snacks

• The Hub – Snacks

• Knowledge Spa – Snacks, cold drinks

Smart Fridge
Located in The Royal, in the seating area past Starbucks, available 24/7, stocked with a selection of ready meals, fresh sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks.

WH Smiths
Trelawny Wing entrance
Monday to Friday: 7am to 8pm  |  Saturday: 8am to 6pm  |  Sunday: 9am to 6pm
Newsagent, confectionery, snacks, cards, gifts and flowers. A trolley service also visits the wards each day.

Vending machines

• Tower entrance – Snacks, hot drinks

• Renal – Cold drinks, snacks

• Maternity – Hot drinks, snacks

• The Hub – Snacks

• Knowledge Spa – Snacks, cold drinks

Smart Fridge
Located in The Royal, in the seating area past Starbucks, available 24/7, stocked with a selection of ready meals, fresh sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks. 

Please press the buzzer for assistance at the barrier or go into the Saba office located in the main car park at the front of the Hospital and advise your child is a frequent attender on the Paediatric Oncology ward and the barrier will be raised free of charge for EVERY visit .

Please call the ward directly (01872 252069) if there are ANY issues when trying to exit the car park free of charge.

Most of our children, teenage and young adult (CTYA ) families will be referred to a Young Lives versus Cancer (YLvsC) social worker at the point of diagnosis; they will be able to support, advise and access various monetary funds during your child's treatment journey. Referrals can also be made at ANY time during treatment.

If, however, you have not been referred or are still having financial difficulties or challenges with support, please speak to a member of the nursing team or your Outreach key worker for help. 

We appreciate having a child in hospital settings is a financial commitment and research has shown it can be very costly. You are not alone. Please do reach out for support and your YLvsC social worker can explore accessing financial grants.

Your social worker can be reached via telephone or arrange to meet you in the hospital or at home if you prefer, to discuss any concerns you may have.

It’s important to know that your child does not need to have a terminal illness for a referral to Little Harbour Children’s Hospice. Children’s hospices work very differently from adult hospices and focus on providing care, comfort and support throughout a child or young person’s journey.

Based in Porthpean, just outside St Austell, Little Harbour is keen to support children and young people with an oncology diagnosis at any stage, whether they are receiving curative or palliative treatment. Support can continue throughout treatment, with a planned pathway towards discharge, usually around a year after the completion of treatment.

Little Harbour has a dedicated team including nurses, carers, sibling support workers, cooks and holistic services. They offer flexible support through outreach, day visits and in-house stays for CTYA and their families, and can also help arrange or facilitate visits to local places of interest during treatment.

If your child has not yet been referred and you feel that support from Little Harbour may be helpful for your child or family, please speak with your outreach key worker or a member of the ward team about making a referral.

Families are very welcome to arrange a visit to look around Little Harbour before deciding, and their dedicated liaison worker between the hospital and hospice is always happy to offer further advice or answer any questions.

Please access their website for further information:
Little Harbour | Childrens Hospice South West 

Our Physiotherapy Team

Ruth Cundy Rowse (Ward based On Paediatrics; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday between 0830-1630)
Ruth also works on a Wednesday at Little Harbour Children’s Hospice, closely linked with Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.

Chloe Neville (ward based on Paediatrics; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday between 0830-1630)

Physiotherapy referral process: Directly from nursing or medical team whilst inpatient or day visitor.

Treatment

• Respiratory (breathing, airway clearance, exercise tolerance)

• Musculoskeletal (joint and muscle pain and weakness, range of movement, altered walking patterns, walking aids, exercise programmes, wheelchair advice).

• Neurology (post brain surgery/treatment, balance, co-ordination)

When you come to visit us: assessment, treatment and advice.

Ongoing needs: referrals and signposting to relevant services e.g. community paediatric therapy team, hydrotherapy, outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy.

Links with other hospitals: the team often liaises with Bristol Children’s Hospital and other specialist centres who share the care of your child. 

Hi, my name is Georgia and I am the dietitian covering the Paediatric Oncology Unit. You might need my support if you have any worries about your child’s eating during their treatment. Many children having cancer treatment can have eating or drinking problems because of their treatment or the cancer itself. I can come to visit you on the uniton Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays; I can also offer phone reviews if that works better.

I can help by assessing your child’s nutritional intake, monitoring their growth and advising on any necessary nutrition support measures. If you feel a dietitian assessment would be useful, you can access the service through your child’s oncology outreach nurse or the medical team on the unit.

This leaflet from CCLG is a great starting point for helping your child eat well during cancer treatment:

Helping your child to eat well during cancer treatment | CCLG - The Children & Young People's Cancer Association 

Georgia Kirwin | Paediatric Dietitian

We have psychology support for all children & young people and their parents and  work closely with the Psychology team in Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and at Children's Hospice Southwest to ensure your Psychology support is tailored to your needs. Please let your Outreach Nurse know if you would like support.

These sessions are held in a safe space and can be used to support the treatment journey. Some parents have found it useful to use their sessions to focus on clinical procedures, whilst others use the time and space to think about how having their child diagnosed with cancer is for them. There is no right or wrong discussion and all sessions are held in a safe space giving you the freedom to explore how you feel. 

For further information please access the following booklet:

Psychology Resources - Coping with cancer diagnosis

If you are intending spending a night, few days away or booking a holiday out of county, please let your Outreach Keyworker know as soon as possible,  so we can complete an ‘out of area’ form and arrange cover with the nearest hospital to your stay to give you peace of mind that a medical team are on hand to provide care in the event your child becomes unwell. 

You will be given a copy of the referral form which will have all the details of the hospital your child has been referred to.

The Play Service consists of a team of five Play Specialists who work Monday to Friday, providing therapeutic play, to help reduce anxiety and make the hospital experience feel more normal and reassuring. The team supports children in preparing for procedures such as port access, encourages emotional expression, and offers age-appropriate activities that promote development and wellbeing during treatment.

Activity boxes are available for younger patients and can be found in the activity cupboard alongside toys, books and board games. Older children and young people also have access to a range of technology, (subject to availability) including iPads, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and RockinR.

Drink and cake vouchers are available each month and may be offered to families during day visits. Please see the QR code for Food and drinks for further information.

Chemo Ducks and Ollie the Brave are also available for younger patients and siblings. These are adapted cuddly toys that have various lines attached.

Beads of courage is a program where the child or young adult can participate in recording their journey by the collection of beads, this will usually be started at Bristol children's Hospital & supported by the team once you return from Bristol. Please refer to the QR code for further details

As the Play Team also supports other areas of the Children’s Unit, they may not always be immediately available. If you would like to see a member of the team, please speak to the nurse caring for your child on the day.

New developments coming soon: 

Children's Community Therapeutic Services. Funded through LARF charity. Play at home

Welcome to the Hospital School at Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske

Information for families
The Hospital School is part of The Community and Hospital Education Service (CHES), which is an AP Academy that exists to provide education for pupils unable to attend school for medical reasons.

What does the Hospital School offer?
The Hospital School offers education and emotional support to inpatients from 5-16 years of age. Priority is given to long-stay or recurrent pupils, those studying for and sitting exams and those with an EHCP. Children who are well enough to leave their bed may be able to attend the schoolroom, where they can do their own work or follow our enriched curriculum.

We are a registered exam centre and are able to provide invigilation for any children who wish to sit exams while they are in hospital.

Staff
Our teachers, Natasha Jose, Lizzie Hicks and Fi Fletcher, have experience of teaching children in the early years, primary and secondary phases and will liaise with the other subject teachers at CHES. If you would like to know more about the Hospital School, please call us on 01872 252801 or email us: ffletcher@waveedu.org 
lhicks@waveedu.org 
njose@waveedu.org 

For more information about CHES, please see our website
Community and Hospital Education Service (CHES) - Wave MAT 

The Paediatric Oncology Unit arranges a variety of events throughout the year. Please ask a member of the Outreach Team for information about the next event available for your family.

Events held during the year

• Soft Play – held every three months in January, April, July and October at Kernow Acro Gymnastics.

• Theme Park visits – for our younger families.

• Pizza nights, bowling and go-karting – for teenagers.

Please speak to a member of staff or the Outreach Team for the next available dates for these events.

Annual events

February – Ice Skating
Held on the last Saturday of half term. Open to all families who are on treatment or up to five years post-treatment. This event gives the whole family the chance to spend the day at Eden, followed by a 45-minute ice skating experience. Wheelchair friendly.

May – Dream Night (cancelled for 2026)
Open to all families. This is a special early evening zoo experience that is not open to the public. Food and drinks are provided, along with entertainers, police cars, fire engines and dance groups.

June – Make a Move
Held in Bath and arranged by Bristol Children’s Hospital. This is a great one-day event for families on treatment and post-treatment, with activities such as badminton, tennis, cycling, judo and much more. Please speak to a member of the Outreach Team if you require help with transport costs.

September – Bereavement, Siblings and Family Wellbeing Days
An event will be held on a yearly basis  which may change year on year depending on the needs of the service and the venues available.

December – Hall for Cornwall Pantomime
Held in early December. Tickets are available for families to attend, and we are very fortunate to be given seats in the Circle to watch the pantomime.

The Oncology team at RCHT is always grateful for fundraising support. We understand that, during your oncology journey, fundraising may not be one of your main priorities. However, if you would like to do something to support the ward and help other families, any contribution is greatly appreciated.

If you decide to fundraise, please speak to a member of the Outreach Team or contact the Charities Team on 01872 252858. They will be able to advise you on promoting your event and making donations to the Oncology Ward.

Details of ways to donate can be found via this link Donate | Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity 

By bank transfer
Account name: Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHST Charitable Fund
Sort code: 60-70-80
Account number: 10033475

If possible, please add a reference if you wish to donate to a specific fund.
Our fund for ‘The Children’s Cancer Charity’ is F2692

In 2025, the ward was very fortunate to receive a generous donation from chef Paul Ainsworth, which helped support the refurbishment of the Oncology rooms.

In September 2025, during Children’s Cancer Awareness Month, a new fundraiser was launched for our Oncology Unit through a non-school uniform day. It was very successful and is planned to take place again in 2026. If your child’s school may be interested in taking part, please speak to the school first and then contact the Hospital Charities Team.

The Oncology Unit is also fortunate to be supported by local charities, which help in many ways. This support may include coffee vouchers, events, support workers, snacks on the unit, arts and crafts activities, weekend breaks, and occasional special treats for the whole family.

Local charity contacts

• Hugs for Henry — enquiries@hugsccc.com 

• Sasha Would Have Loved It — sashawouldvelovedit.co.uk 

• LARF – Lauren & Rosie’s Fund — www.larfcornwall.co.uk 

Beads of Courage is a programme that helps children and young people record their treatment journey in a meaningful, empowering way. Patients receive colourful beads to mark important procedures, treatments, and milestones, creating a visible record of their courage, resilience, and progress.

Each bead collection tells a personal story of treatment and recovery, helping children see how much they have overcome.

The programme supports emotional wellbeing by easing illness-related distress, encouraging positive coping, and helping families talk about difficult experiences.

Different colours and bead types represent specific events, including chemotherapy, blood tests, clinic visits, and overnight hospital stays.

For many children, the beads become a lasting reminder of their bravery, progress, and strength throughout treatment.

Beads are given to patients during hospital visits through the Play Service or the Outreach Oncology Team.

Sibling Programme

This programme helps siblings to record, tell and own their story of courage as they journey alongside their brother or sister. A Parent can apply for siblings beads through the charity.

The beads of courage United Kingdom is sponsored by Children with Cancer. The program operates in hospitals internationally (including Beads of Courage UK), with around 60,000 children supported annually.