About Lilypad

Lilypad is a charity founded by Zoe and Yannick Vieira to support children with complex medical needs and their families.

Zoe and Yannick's daughter Lily was born with a medical condition for which no diagnosis has yet been identified. Lily's condition is characterised by infantile epilepsy and abnormal brain wave patterns. She has hemihypertrophy (a rare condition where the left hand side of her body, and organs, are smaller than the right hand side) as well as severe scoliosis for which she has had several long and complex operations on her spine.

All of this means that Lily is unable to communicate verbally, her sight is poor, she is tube fed and cannot hold her head independently or use her limbs. Lily spent the first 6 months of her life in hospital, and many many months since, recovering from surgery and, during the winter months, on oxygen to support her breathing.

Lily does have her hearing and responds happily to the voices of her family and carers. She loves listening to music, being massaged, having her hair done and going for walks.

Zoe and Yannick have been incredible in including Lily in their family adventures, with a 10th birthday trip up Mont Blanc to the Aiguille de Midi, sleeping on the glacier with her two brothers Tom and Jule, and more recently a cycling weekend for Yannick's 50th birthday.

Lily is 16 years old, which is a miracle in itself but of absolutely no surprise to anyone that knows her; she is a warrior, so brave and has more courage than words can depict.

During the week Lily lives at a special needs school, Les Magnolias, and at weekends she spends time at home with her family, and dog Pablo.

Lilypad is named after Lily, as a tribute to her courage, and pad to depict the home.

The lotus flower is also representative of beauty that is seen on the surface, often hiding the struggle for growth from within.

Lilypad has been set up to provide financial support to families of children with complex medical needs, to purchase medical equipment or care to support them at home, to provide respite care and help to make a wish come true.