There are many options available for free counselling and advice in the UK, including the following:-

• Your GP
• The Fanconi Cancer Foundation’s (FCF) family support programme services, available to families internationally. You are encouraged to register with them. FCF’s mission is to support families worldwide, not just in the USA and we work closely together with them in an informal partnership.
• Contact-a-Family. A child with FA may required extra support associated with their condition.  Parents may be entitled to some additional financial help or your child may need support at school.  Contact a Family supports families who have children with any health condition or additional need.  They have a freephone helpline staffed by advisers (including a genetics counsellor) who can help with a wide range of topics including grants/funding.  They also produce a wide range of publications that you may find useful, for example, for siblings.  Visit their website for more information about their services or call their freephone helpline on 0808 808 3555 available Mon-Fri 10am-4pm and Mon evening 5.30-7.30pm.
• Sibs for a sibling with a disabled or chronically ill brother or sister.
• CLIC Sargent.  Although primarily a cancer charity they will support children with bone marrow failure conditions too. They have Social Work Teams in most major hospitals and it is highly recommended that you contact them as they can provide help and support in a number of ways.
• Bereavement Support and Counselling:
  • Winston’s Wish is the leading childhood bereavement charity and the largest provider of services to bereaved children, young people and their families in the UK.
  • Child Bereavement UK is the UK’s leading national organisation supporting families and providing training to professionals across the entire spectrum of child bereavement. They have a searchable database containing contact details of bereavement-related help and support services in the United Kingdom.
• Maggie’s welcome FA patients into their centres to access support. If you’re a little nervous about walking into a Maggie’s centre without a cancer diagnosis, register with The Aplastic Anaemia Trust first (people with FA here, parents and carers here) and they can contact your local centre and let them know you might pop in, and give them a refresher on what FA is – so you don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.