In September 2017, our baby daughter Charlotte was diagnosed with a very rare pulmonary soft tissue cancer after a very brief spell of illness. After the shock of the diagnosis, together with our two older children (Lucy, 9, and Caleb, 7) we tried to steel ourselves for the course of chemotherapy that was prescribed. 

Unfortunately there were many twists and turns in Charlotte’s treatment journey and she spent much time in the Children’s Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children receiving care for infections and nutritional problems. 

In March of this year, having discovered that the disease had grown back in Charlotte’s lung for the second time, our consultant decided that the tumour should be removed surgically and this procedure took place in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London one month later. We are delighted to be able to say that Charlotte has now completed her treatment and is enjoying making up for lost time! Thanks to the treatment provided in Belfast the surgeon did not need to remove much of Charlotte’s lung and he was able to remove all of the disease. 

There are many things that we learned during this chapter of Charlotte’s life but one thing that particularly astounded us was the care offered by the staff in the Children’s Cancer Unit. Their compassion and support enable families to enjoy happy moments even when they face tough realities and exhausting days. To mark the one year anniversary of Charlotte’s diagnosis, we are planning a special family walk from our home in Newtownabbey to the Royal, a journey we so often made with Charlotte and we would love this event to help the work of the Unit. Please consider supporting us either by joining us on 8th September for part or all of our route or by donating financially. As we walk, we will be only too aware of the families who still spend much of their time in the Unit and who will benefit from the money raised. 

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