Story
In July 2026 our son Lucas was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. The weeks that followed were a blur of medical appointments and vast amount of information and emotions to process - our world had been flipped upside down.
During this difficult time we had excellent care from our NHS medical teams, but we also learned that there is some incredible non-medical support out there for families like ours, both during and after treatment. One charity was universally recommended to us: The Joshua Tree.
The Joshua Tree is a Cheshire based Children's Cancer Charity. We operate across the North West and North Wales and are dedicated to working closely with families affected by childhood cancers. We tailor the services to suit the family’s specific needs, by means of emotional, academic and practical support, such as counselling, art and play therapy, health and well-being advice, support in and around the home and educational tutoring where required to help ensure that life remains as normal as possible during an incredibly traumatic time.
We have visited the Joshua Tree a few times since Lucas's diagnosis, and it is such a fantastic community and space. We have attended some stay-and-play sessions for immune-compromised children and connected with other families; Gen and Leah had some relaxing wellness treatments; and Lucas has been very keen to use the gym (he's used the rowing machine and treadmill so far). But this just a fraction of services they provide entirely for free for families like ours.
As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, The Joshua Tree are hosting a fundraising event called Walk Tall. Dylan will be running the 20K challenge and then joining Gen, Leah and Lucas for the 5K walk afterwards. We would love to raise as much money as we can for the very important work that they do.
Thank you 🙏