About
The Story
Fly me stories creates magical adventures for children who are unwell in hospital, hospices and at home. Stories can be an important form of distraction. Each of our special, illustrated stories takes them on an exciting adventure, away from their hospital bed. They travel to beautiful tropical islands and meet different characters, who need their help. Who will they meet on their adventure? It's their choice!
The Fly Me stories are empowering as the recipient becomes the hero, helping characters to solve problems. The stories are personalised too, including the child's name and age, so that the child feels extra special.
The Idea
Author and illustrator Dr Ffion Jones founded Fly Me Stories in 2020. Since she was little she has always believed in the magical power of stories and, for her PhD, she studied how literature can have a therapeutic function, providing a voice for the silenced. When her father was in hospital for an extended period at the same time as her daughter, the idea for Fly Me Stories grew.
"The idea for Fly Me Stories was sparked when my eldest daughter was in hospital with pneumonia. Hospitals can make you feel anxious and powerless so I told stories as a form of comfort and distraction. Once we left the hospital, the idea wouldn't go away.
A few years later, whilst writing the Nurse Ted series, which explains serious illnesses to children, I learnt that the brain does not make much of a distinction between reading about an experience and encountering it in real life. I found this really powerful. It meant that a child in hospital, hospice, or at home, who is unable to leave their bed or room, could read fiction and feel like they are flying away on a magical adventure."
This is the essence of Fly Me Stories!
Recent research has also found that storytelling increases oxytocin and positive emotions and decreases cortisol and pain in hospitalized children. This means that storytelling is a simple intervention that may help alleviate the physical and psychological pain of hospitalized children.
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/22/e2018409118
The Fly Me stories are now used UK-wide in hospitals, hospices and at home.
In this video Ffion talks to Carolyn Williams about the magical power of stories.
A team of wonderful volunteers helps to run Fly Me Stories - Our Instagram manager Sophia, our blogger Joanna, our Facebook support Elias and our marketing experts, Leah and Ariane.
