SAM BRINGS CHRISTMAS CHEER TO HOSPICE
RUGBY star Sam Warburton surprised cancer patients and their families yesterday when he turned up at a Christmas party.
Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff held the festive event for some of the children of adults being treated for the disease at the hospital.
He stunned kids and parents alike, who weren’t told he would be coming, when he popped into the party at the centre in Whitchurch.
The Wales and Lions captain was on crutches but battled through injury to sign autographs and pose for pictures.
Sam, who has been an ambassador for the Velindre Centre for five years, said: “I offered to come down at Christmas. This place has a few keen people who are into the rugby and hopefully they have had a few smiles.
“I have seen what people have gone through day to day with cancer. I try to lift people’s morale.
“The kids get really excited. I have two nephews who are a similar age and it’s always good to see how happy they are at Christmas time.”
For this year’s Christmas appeal, called “Caring for my family with cancer”, the centre is raising money to fund special children’s books to help support children whose parents are battling cancer.
Designed and written by specialist nurse Michele Pengelly and Ceri Harris, Equality and Diversity Manager at Velindre, the books are about a pair of lions who help parents explain their illness.
The picture books also come with two cuddly lions, one for the child and one for the parent, to comfort them during treatment. Sophie Busson, 31, from Newport just finished having treatment for breast cancer after being diagnosed in July.
She said the book was a great help for her four-year-old son Reggie.
She added: “They gave us a book to be able to explain to the kids about treatment and things like that. Reggie goes to bed with both lions. It really helped explain to him what is going on.”
Sophie was at the party with husband Gareth, 33, and other son Leo, 12, who was over the moon to meet his rugby idol.
Speaking about the centre and the charity she said: “The whole centre has been really supportive, everyone is so lovely and has a smile for you when you are walking down the hallway.”
To donate to the appeal visit www. velindrefundraising.com/christmasappeal