Happy Birthday Snorky!

Today is June 19th, which means… it’s Snorky the Elephant’s birthday!

Our legendary Hospice mascot, Snorky is a toy elephant who was first created in June 2018. So Snorky is 7 today! Did you know our Head of Communications & Marketing, Claire, was the one who came up with our favourite elephant’s fantastic name?

Snorky is a soft cuddly toy that you’ll find in every one of our Elephant Kits. The Elephant Kit is a therapeutic toolkit offered free of charge to families with children who are connected to someone being cared for by St Joseph’s Hospice.

Coming to terms with life-limiting illness can be challenging for everyone. For children, it can be especially difficult to understand and talk about what’s happening. The Elephant Kit includes creative tools, toys and games, all carefully designed to help children feel welcomed in the Hospice environment, support their emotional wellbeing, and help families communicate during such a sensitive time. These kits can be helpful at any stage of illness or even after the loss of a loved one.

Snorky is a comforting companion to many. Snorky likes to be hugged when someone is feeling sad or lonely, but also is happy being tossed across the room when you’re feeling angry or frustrated.

Snorky also doesn’t mind being given to somebody else, like a family member or loved one, who might need a tinsy bit of extra love.

Why Elephants?

Elephants are known for their emotional intelligence and strong social bonds. When a member of their herd dies elephants have been known to performing mourning rituals, gently touching the body with their trunks and remaining nearby in what appears to be a vigil. One example of a touching ritual involves an elephant carefully carrying sand and pressing it against the chest or behind the ears of the deceased.

The elephant also represents something else, ‘the elephant in the room’. A metaphor for the unspoken difficulty of life-limiting illness and loss. These topics can be hard to talk about and the kit is designed to help with this.

Do you think The Elephant Kit could help someone you know?

Visit the link below to learn more and request your own Elephant Kit.

The Elephant Kit » St. Joseph’s Hospice

Alongside Snorky, each kit includes a range of therapeutic tools designed to support children and young people of all ages who have a loved one receiving Hospice care. Take a peek at some of the kit pieces below.

If you have any questions about The Elephant Kit, please get in touch with our Patient and Families Team. You can email Karolina at k.gordon@stjh.org.uk