We’ve supersized Christmas!
For some people, Christmas is a chance to go large or go home. lisa Glassock meets a few who have taken celebrations to a whole new level
taking celebrations to a whole new level
The charity runner
CLare BaLL, 50, is a theatre administrator. She lives in Berkhamsted with her husband Steve, 51, and sons Christian, 18, Miles, 16, and evan, 13. Clare took part in the London Santa Dash, raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, after the hospital saved the life of her teenage son.
It was a spectacular sight – a sea of santas filling Clapham Common, all dressed up and ready to run in the london santa Dash. belted into our santa outfits, complete with white trimmed hats and fake beards, my husband and sons joined the throng. Even our two dogs had come along.
and then we were off – thousands of us on the move in the chill December wind. some ran, others walked, but everyone was there for one reason – to raise money for Great ormond street Hospital.
We owed our son Evan’s life to the hospital – and taking part was one way of expressing our gratitude.
a year previously, Evan was
10 and had just gone back to school after the Christmas holidays. He often had bruises from messing around with his brothers, but I’d
noticed one that looked swollen. our GP sent him for a blood test.
Just three hours later, the hospital rang. they thought Evan had leukaemia and wanted him to come back straight away. one minute I was chatting with the kids about school, the next our whole world turned upside down. It was terrifying.
We were referred to Great ormond street Hospital, where a doctor told us that while this would be the worst day of our lives, things would only get better.
Evan went back and forth for treatment and blood transfusions. It was only looking back afterwards that I realised how the smallest things – like being given a cup of tea or seeing a friendly face – make such a difference when you’re facing something so frightening and unknown.
Eventually Evan was diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia – his bone marrow had stopped working and he needed a bone marrow transplant. We were all tested and, to our huge relief, Christian came back as a perfect match, so could be a donor.
Evan had to spend two months in hospital, in complete isolation, undergoing gruelling chemotherapy to prepare for the transplant. He took over 25 different drugs every day.
bone marrow can be delivered through the bloodstream, so the actual “transplant” for him felt no different to the countless transfusions he’d received before.
Christian’s procedure was carried out under local anaesthetic. He just needed a couple of days off school, and iron tablets. In just one day, he’d saved his brother’s life.
afterwards, Evan spent six months at home in complete isolation, to ensure he remained free from infection. It was hard for a lively boy like him – we were just so grateful for Facetime!
Evan ringing the GosH “End of treatment” bell was one of the best days of my life – we all stood together and cried. It had been a tough journey, but with such a positive outcome.
so when I heard about the santa Dash, which raises money and awareness for Great ormond street Hospital Children’s Charity, we jumped at the chance to take part.
as I scanned the crowds of santas, I felt very emotional, knowing that everyone there had their own reasons for taking part. and maybe not everyone had been as lucky as us – Evan was healthy and had a bright future ahead.
Christmas will always be a time we reflect on what we’ve been through, and how Evan is here, thanks to the amazing Great ormond street Hospital. >>
Join in… The London Santa Dash is a 5k or 10k festive fun run on Clapham Common on 9 December. Sign up at gosh.org/londonsantadash
‘I felt very emotional, knowing everyone had their own reasons for taking part’