We’ve got two full-time family support workers. Joanna works out of the Children’s Oncology Ward at Nottingham Children’s Hospital at Queen’s Medical Centre, while Maria supports families on the ward at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
We asked Joanna and Maria to tell us about a typical day
There is no typical day. Every day is as different as the people we help. They’ve all got different needs and fears, come from different backgrounds and places; have different cancers, treatments, and outlooks.
We could be working alongside the Clic Sargent charity supporting families at our Parent Support Group or Bereavement Group. We help parents deal with the roller-coaster of emotions and stresses that hit them as they journey through the different stages of grief after losing their child.
We could be dancing with kids on treatment at one of our parties. We hold some great parties. Hundreds of people come along and make friends with folks in the same boat as them. The kids can forget about cancer and chemo for a few hours. We help them feel normal, happy, and carefree for an afternoon.
You’ll most often find us on the ward. Talking to parents, helping them find their way through the living nightmare of childhood cancer, giving them practical advice, helping them financially when money’s tight because one or both parents has had to stop working.
We arrange exciting experiences that you wouldn’t think these kids could do. Like the 11 children and young people we helped on Ellen MacArthur sailing trips around the Isle of Wight this summer, or the families we’re linking up with Box4Kids, who give our families tickets to executive boxes for sports events around the country.
Please keep helping us to help our families. There are children and families out there right now, who are counting on your support.