Our Story

Jessie May was founded in 1996 by Philippa and Paul Brownjohn in memory of their daughter, Jessica May Purrington, who died at just four and a half months old. Jessica was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and died peacefully at home in her father’s arms. Her short life was full of love, and her family focused on making the most of every moment they had together. 

While Jessica received strong support where she was born in High Wycombe, her family were shocked to discover that similar care simply didn’t exist when they travelled to Bristol to visit relatives. When Jessica became seriously unwell and was admitted to Southmead Hospital, Philippa witnessed something that would change her life forever. 

Across the ward lay a baby boy with a terminal illness. He was alone. 

“I could hear him crying… he was in the middle of the bed and there was nobody with him. His family had jobs, other children, lives they couldn’t leave. I just remember thinking: that little baby shouldn’t be on his own. He should be back at home with his family.” – Philippa Brownjohn.  

That moment stayed with Philippa. In her grief, she and Paul made a promise: no child should have to die in hospital without their family, and no family should face the heartbreak of caring for a terminally ill child without the right support. 

Building Jessie May:  

Philippa and Paul founded the Jessie May Trust determined to create the support they themselves had needed. They knew that home is where families feel safest, where memories are made, and where children can be surrounded by love. 

“To have had a Jessie May nurse when Jessica was diagnosed would have been invaluable. You need someone who isn’t scared. Someone who treats your child like a child, not a diagnosis. Someone you trust enough to leave your baby with, even for half an hour. That support changes everything.”  

Working with a paediatric nurse who had cared for Jessica, they started small – one office at Southmead Hospital, a single phone, one administrator and one nurse. Word spread quickly, and it became clear just how many families needed this kind of support. 

“We had no idea how quickly it would grow and how many people would become invested in Jessie May. It was incredible how many families needed that help.” 

Every Jessie May nurse was trained not only in clinical care, but in listening, supporting parents, and walking alongside families before and after the death of a child. This family‑centred ethos remains at the heart of the charity today. 

Jessie May Today 

From those early beginnings, Jessie May has grown to support families across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Thousands of children and families have been cared for at home, surrounded by the people and places they love most. 

Philippa still follows the charity closely: 

“Even though it’s been 20 years since I had an active role, Jessie May is still in my heart. Being invited back feels like coming home.” 

And she often reflects on the legacy her daughter has left: 

“To think of Jessica as a 32‑year‑old woman… I think she’d be incredibly proud of what Jessie May has become. Proud that it’s still run by families, for families. Proud of every nurse and every person involved.” 

Jessie May exists because one family believed that every child deserves to be cared for at home, and no family should face the hardest moments of their lives alone. That belief continues to guide everything we do. 

“Jessie May has built something very special. Our hospice‑at‑home model allows families to receive specialist care in the comfort of their own home. 

By joining Children’s Hospice South West, we can ensure that families continue to receive the compassionate, expert care they rely on. Jessie May will continue as Jessie May, and our supporters and families remain as vital to us as ever.”