What we do

Daring to Dream supports and promotes the emotional health and well-being of adult* (those aged 16 years and above) patients in Wales.

In Wales, 1.2 million adults live with at least one longstanding illness. The extensive clinical care we receive primarily addresses our physical needs. However, the emotional turmoil and impact that accompanies illness is also very significant but is not usually addressed. Illness brings a whirlwind of emotions that can be overwhelming, making it very difficult to enjoy life or live it fully.

Research shows that better emotional health and skills can lead to faster recovery from acute crises and support living well with chronic illness. At Daring to Dream, we recognise the importance of addressing these emotional challenges to help individuals manage their physical illness and treatments more effectively.

So we support the emotional health of those living with illness in a variety of ways.

Daring to Dream makes spaces to talk and we:

1. Raise awareness of the importance of good emotional health for living well with illness. We encourage everyone living with illness to discuss their feelings and encourage support from family and friends who will listen to us.

2. Create physical spaces in hospitals. These non-clinical ‘Safe spaces’ in within the ward area provide essential private space for patients, their families, and staff to have important conversations during vulnerable times. These rooms offer a comforting ‘safe space’ to share feelings and to hear and discuss clinical advice.

We collaborate with different clinical areas in different hospitals to transform:

• Patient dayrooms on wards
• Relatives’ Rooms
• Quiet Rooms

3. Promote engagement with music as a means to boost emotions and initiate conversations. Lleswyl, our flagship live-streamed annual wellbeing festival, brings Welsh artists into the homes of those unable to attend live events.

Lleswyl is an important part of the work of Daring to Dream, as it serves to promote and raise awareness of the charity and forges links and partnerships with other relevant charities as well as reaching out to everyone across Wales who can’t get to live gigs or festivals.

Barbara Chidgey, the founder and Chair of Daring to Dream talks about ‘Making Spaces to Talk’

Nav Masani was asked to explain the importance of the ongoing conversations about emotional health with someone with a chronic illness, and giving the time and the space for those patients: