A Moon Moment lies at the heart of Beyond the Moon. It’s not a luxury and it’s more than a simple holiday. It’s a chance to pause, to breathe, and to invest in wellbeing, resilience, and connection.
Intensive caregiving often forces parents to reduce or even temporarily stop their professional activities, while expenses continue to rise. What many people take for granted is often out of reach for these families. During a Moon Moment, a family with a seriously ill child can pause for a while. No hospitals, no doctors, no treatments — just rest, quality time together, and a chance to reconnect.
Every week, all year round, we offer one family a fully supported Moon Moment. A weekend, midweek or full week, entirely tailored to the needs of the child and their family. We start from their needs, not from what is available. From transport to accommodation and meals, from medical support to the smallest details: everything is taken care of. Every Moon Moment is unique, but the feeling is always the same: simply being a family again.
As our resources are limited, we prioritise supporting the families who need a Moon Moment the most. Each application is therefore carefully reviewed in close consultation with the primary care physician and the medical team.
Following medical approval, we design a tailored journey for each family. We start from the family’s needs, not from what’s available. Privacy and trust are at the heart of everything we do. All information is handled with the utmost confidentiality.
Each Moon Family follows a carefully guided journey, from application to complete peace of mind. Beyond the Moon takes care of everything from A to Z, allowing families to pause and rediscover time together.
Afterwards, the family shares — with full respect for their privacy — a testimonial about their experience, as a gesture of thanks to the supporter who made this Moon Moment possible. Bringing these heartfelt stories from Moon Families to light is essential to the continued existence and growth of Beyond the Moon.
Pieter from Schriek
went with his family to the Ardennes
This varies from family to family. Each application is carefully reviewed in consultation with healthcare professionals. Only after written medical approval has been obtained, and when everything can be arranged safely and practically, we plan the Moon Moment. The lead time is usually between around four weeks and two months, sometimes longer. In urgent or palliative situations, we may shorten this timeframe where possible. This depends, among other things, on the child’s health condition and treatment, the availability of our holiday partners, and any additional medical or practical needs. We always take the necessary time to ensure that each Moon Moment is feasible, safe, and truly free of worry for the family.
A Moon Moment is entirely free of charge and worry for the family. Beyond the Moon takes care of everything from start to finish. We only ask for limited administrative follow-up to organise the stay, and, afterwards, a testimonial about their experience. This feedback is essential to strengthen our work and to show supporters the difference their contribution makes. Family testimonials are vital to the continued existence and growth of Beyond the Moon. In this way, families can focus fully on what truly matters: finding rest and spending meaningful time together.
Each Moon Moment is carefully designed in close consultation with the family and the primary care physician. We listen to the needs of the child and the family and look, within our network of trusted holiday partners, for the best possible match. Families are welcome to share their preferences, but we do not start from a free choice of destination.
Because we work with limited resources and aim to offer as many families as possible a moment of breathing space, each family is granted one Moon Moment. In this way, we can distribute our support fairly and in a spirit of solidarity. Our goal is to provide 52 families each year with a carefree Moon Moment — one per week. The more support we can build together with our partners and donors, the more families we can offer rest and renewed resilience. For every family, that one moment becomes a unique light to carry forward.
Still have questions? We’re here to help — get in touch.
How to make a Moon Moment happen: complete the form below.
Beyond the Moon works with trusted holiday partners who share our mission and help create a truly worry-free Moon Moment, where rest, joy, and time together take centre stage.
