Middlesborough Family backs Kick for Children with Cancer

A family whose world was turned upside down when their daughter was diagnosed with cancer is calling on local people to get behind CLIC Sargent’s football fundraising campaign, Kick for Children with Cancer as the charity has supported them throughout her illness.

Emily was diagnosed last year with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma after suffering from persistent cough and cold symptoms. The condition, in which cancerous cells are found in the lymphatic system, affects approximately 80 children of all ages each year and is more common in boys.

Emily was initially treated for a suspected chest infection but when she developed swelling on her chest her family rushed her to their local hospital.  She underwent an X-ray before being transferred to The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where the family were given the devastating news that Emily had cancer. The results of the scan showed a large mass had developed in her chest and as a result her left lung had filled with fluid, pushing her heart to the right side of her body.

Emily’s Mum, Sharon, said their whole life changed dramatically over the space of one weekend.

“On the Saturday we were told Emily had cancer,” she said.  “On Sunday we had the results of her scan and on Monday she was fighting for every breath because her heart was being put under tremendous pressure.”

To remove the fluid from her lung Emily had to undergo an emergency chest drain which needed to be carried out over a 12 hour period to allow her heart to steadily return to the left side of her body. The procedure was then followed by nine months of intensive chemotherapy to shrink the tumour.

Emily is currently in remission but will need to undergo a further 18 months of oral chemotherapy before she finishes her course of treatment.

During this difficult time Emily's family have been supported every step of the way by CLIC Sargent. This included support from a CLIC Sargent Social Worker who was able to assess the family’s needs. Within 48 hours a £200 financial grant had been arranged to help cover the travel costs of the 90 mile round trip from Middlesbrough to the hospital in Newcastle.  Free accommodation was also set up within the hospital grounds. This meant the whole family could stay nearby while Emily was undergoing treatment.

Emily’s Mum, Sharon said the support they received from the charity was invaluable.

“When your child first gets diagnosed it is an intrusion into your life,” she said. 

“Everything happens very quickly and you are powerless to stop it. It was like Emily’s hospital door was on a spring. There was always a stream of people coming through it. One of those people was a CLIC Sargent Social Worker, she was so astute and perceptive of our family’s needs. Emily had a medical team looking after her, and I can’t thank them enough for all they did, but CLIC Sargent looked after the rest of the family.”

She went on to add: “Your family life is built on a foundation and when your child is diagnosed with cancer that foundation is rocked to the core. Ultimately the outcome is always dependant on your child, but CLIC Sargent was able to come along, offer an invaluable source of support and help us start putting our life back together by filling in the cracks. 

“For us, CLIC Sargent was like the missing piece of the jigsaw. Their help was essential as a family we could not have made it through this without it.”

Now the family are keen to give something back to the charity and are calling on local people to get behind one of the charity’s national fundraising campaigns. Kick for Children with Cancer is a fun UK-wide football fundraiser encouraging children and young people of all ages and abilities to put their skills to the test to raise money for CLIC Sargent. Visit the Kick for Children with Cancer website for more information or to register. top of page