A MOTHER chosen as the public face of Derian House is planning to raise awareness and funds, for the children's hospice.

Sue Lodge, 47, lost her five-year-old son, Matthew, to a brain stem tumour six years ago.

Matthew was cared for at Derian House for the last six months of his life and his family still receive support from staff.

It was never a sad time for Matthew and his family and after his death his ashes were buried in the Forget-me-Not garden at the Chancery Road site.

Sue, who is married to David and has two other children, Harriet, seven and Grace, five, jumped at the chance to give something back to Derian when it was suggested she become a fundraising co-ordinator and organiser.

She said: "When it was first suggested that Matthew go to Derian House I was appalled. I had an image of a grim, gloomy hospital with stern faced staff. But it isn't like that at all. It's full of light and love and laughter. It's a happy place where children are looked after and cared for in their illness."

Sue's experiences are detailed in Matthew's Story, a booklet which aims to publicise the work of the hospice.

Sue of Sabden, East Lancashire, was joined at the launch by Lynda Heyworth of Chorley who wrote a similar account, Sarah's Story, about her daughter, a 16-year-old Parklands High School pupil who lost a long battle with cancer in February, 2004.

Lynda said: "Derian House covers a wide area. So many people seem to assume because it is in Chorley it covers only that area.

"In fact it takes in East Lancashire, Kendal, Carlisle, Preston, Lancaster, Merseyside and the Greater Manchester.

"It's our hospice, it treats our children from our area and it needs our support."