Making Maya’s day online
V A TOTTERIDGE three-year-old with an extremely rare genetic blood disease celebrated her birthday in style thanks to Camp Simcha.
The charity — supporting families with a child with serious illness — helped organise a My Little Ponythemed party for Maya Freedman with an entertainer and friends joining in virtually via Zoom.
Last July, Maya became very ill during a family holiday in Thailand. She was airlifted to hospital in Bangkok, where she spent two weeks in intensive care, before her condition was stable enough for her be flown back to the UK.
She was taken immediately to Great Ormond Street Hospital where she was treated for three months before being allowed home.
“For those two weeks in Bangkok, Maya was in a critical condition,” her mother Laura said. “I will be forever grateful to the amazing doctors who helped her there and the team at Great Ormond Street who have cared for her since.
“It has been an incredibly tough six months for Maya and for all of us.”
During this time, the family, including Maya’s four-year-old brother Zac, were supported by Camp
Simcha in ways ranging from hospital transport to art sessions.
Under the circumstances,“reaching the milestone of Maya’s third birthday felt so very important”, her mum added. “We had planned a big celebration with her friends.
“Then with coronavirus, life changed for everyone. With everything that was going on for us — and generally — I just couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t get my head around how to give Maya the special celebration she deserved.” The family contacted their Camp Simcha family liaison officer Robyn for advice. She asked what Maya liked and took charge, “ordering loads of My Little Pony-themed partyware — cups, plates, banners — and also toys. She then arranged with the entertainer Adam Ant for a virtual party and we arranged for all her friends to join via Zoom. “Camp Simcha also sent us a birthday cake and after the entertainment all Maya’s friends sang Happy Birthday and she blew out the candles in front of them.
“It was a wonderful party. Adam Ant was brilliant and the children had a lot of fun. It was such a joyful day. Maya had the best time and it would never have happened without Camp Simcha, because I wasn’t in the head-space to think about how to do it.”