Mum tells of shock as son Charlie diagnosed with cancer
FAMILY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED ALL THE WAY BY CANDLELIGHTERS
AN East Yorkshire mum has spoken of her shock after her five-year-old son was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer affecting only one in 200,000 children.
Charlie, from Market Weighton, was diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in April 2017, after he had been suffering with skin problems. After seeing a dermatologist for nearly two years, a skin biopsy revealed the tragic news.
Immediate chemotherapy was required, which was a shock to the family. After his treatment, Charlie relapsed with LCH returning on his scalp and hospital CT scan showed a shadow on his brain. He resumed chemotherapy in April 2020, when only five years old.
Since his diagnosis, Charlie and his family have been supported all the way by Candlelighters, a charity which supports children with cancer and serious haematological disorders across the Yorkshire region.
Not only have Candlelighters funded two holidays for the family to put a smile on Charlie’s face, but they also fund playworkers at the Leeds General Hospital ward where Charlie has received treatment. The charity offers a variety of emotional, practical and financial support for the families of children, and invests in childhood cancer research. It is reliant entirely on community funding.
Charlie’s mum Shelley has fundraised for the charity several times, including with a sponsored sky dive in 2020. Now she’s urging people to take part in and support Candlelighters’ annual fundraising and awareness campaign Pink It Up, running from June 6 to June 12 this year.
Shelley said: “From the moment we arrived at Leeds Children’s Hospital, four years ago, Candlelighters has been amazing to us and Charlie. From the Play Workers on the Day Unit, which Candlelighters helps to fund, playing with Charlie and using distraction techniques their role has always been vital for our visits.”
Candlelighters have paid for a second holiday for Charlie and his family later this year. “Getting to go to Center Parcs was amazing and we’ll always hold fond memories of our time there,” said Shelley. “Having quality family time was just what we needed and helped put a smile on Charlie’s face away from hospital visits.”
“Since Charlie’s diagnosis and knowing the invaluable work that Candlelighters does I have raised money by doing the abseiling and most recently a charity skydive! I have also raised money for new books for the oncology wards to hopefully put a
smile on the children’s faces.”
Candlelighters are encouraging people across Yorkshire to get involved any way they can in the Pink It Up campaign with pink-themed activities and fundraising.
Emily Wragg, Candlelighters’ chief executive officer said: “We are so grateful to the support we receive from people across Yorkshire to enable our charity to be there for families facing the most unimaginably difficult time of their lives.
“Fundraising and donations from supporters mean we can provide vital emotional, practical and financial support for families facing childhood cancer, and that support is available to them for as long as they need.
“We support hundreds of families just like Charlie’s every year. We’d love it if people across the region can get involved in our Pink It Up campaign, whether taking on some pink fundraising for us or simply donating to us. Every penny raised makes such a huge difference to the children and their families.”