Our world collapsed in May last year when our daughter Elsie was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive type of childhood leukaemia (AML).  Elsie had been quite poorly for a few weeks when a blood test in Ipswich revealed our worst fears and we were rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to immediately begin at least six months of intensive in-patient treatment.  Elsie had just turned two and Charlotte was seven months pregnant. 

Our fears for our little daughter left us paralysed and unable to imagine how we could manage leaving our home, friends and business.  However we realised from the outset that being together as a family was critical if we were to cope with Elsie’s illness and the arrival of our new baby.

Elsie’s tough chemotherapy regime started the very next day and made her extremely ill.  Nurses and doctors come and go to administer drugs and monitor results but we needed to be with Elsie 24 hours a day to care for her in every other way.  Only one parent can sleep next to a child on the ward and the nights can be very tough. 

We were extremely fortunate to be offered one of the Sick Children’s Trust rooms at Acorn House, which is in the grounds of the hospital just a few minutes walk away from the paediatric and neonatal wards.  Here we had a comfortable private bedroom and use of shared kitchen, laundry and living room.  This allowed us both to be in Cambridge for the entire duration of Elsie’s gruelling treatment, supporting her and each other.  Max was able to operate a downscaled business from our bedroom and occasionally Elsie was allowed to visit for an hour or two and experience some normality such as playing with toys in the playroom or sitting together on the sofa and watching a film.  When baby Innes was born in July Acorn House became her first home whilst Max took over the night shift on the ward. 

Addenbrooke’s Hospital is our regional specialist centre for many serious clinical conditions including paediatric oncology.  The facilities at Acorn House help families from all across East Anglia to do the very best they can during the most difficult of times and give seriously ill children hospitalised far from home the chance to spend some time with their families in a warm, caring and homely place. 

In 2008 we spent 191 nights in hospital.  It costs approximately £25 to provide these facilities for one family for one night. So far our friends and family have raised over £10,000 for the ‘Elsie Norman Fund for Acorn House’ and we hope you will support the work of this wonderful charity which has helped us so much and is entirely funded by voluntary donations.

Thank you.   

Charlotte Norman

(Elsie's Mum)

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