Adam's Story

"We had no history of cancer in our families, so the thought that one of our children could be diagnosed never crossed my mind. The summer of 2017 felt like any other. We were spending time with our kids—swimming, trampolining, and playing on the beach. Both of them seemed fit and healthy. Toby, our lively 2-year-old, was full of energy, and we had no reason to believe he was unwell.

Then, on September 7th, 2017, Toby collapsed and was rushed to hospital. After hours of tests, we were asked to leave him with a nurse and follow a consultant down the ward. Then we received the heartbreaking news: Toby had cancer.

Our families are based in Devon and Kent, far from the specialist unit at Bristol Hospital, but just two days after Toby's diagnosis, we found ourselves driving there. We had no idea what to expect, though we were warned the children's oncology ward would be overwhelming.

We arrived in Bristol, still in shock, but were allowed to stay with Toby for the first couple of nights. Shortly after, we were told our stay would be at least four weeks, and we didn’t know how we would manage the cost of accommodation. That’s when we met our social worker from Young Lives vs Cancer, who found us a room at the CLIC House, just a short walk from the hospital. It meant one of us could get a proper night’s sleep while the other stayed with Toby. She also told us about grants the charity offers to help with living and travel expenses.

Our CLIC specialist nurse, Jenny Birch, was there for us every step of the way. From late-night messages of support when Toby was first diagnosed to helping us keep him out of the hospital for Christmas when his immune system was low, Jenny was there. She even came to our home to take Toby’s weekly bloods, change his dressings, and provide support to the whole family. What’s more, Jenny’s position was funded entirely by Young Lives vs Cancer, not the NHS.

Toby has made a full recovery. In short, for us, Young Lives vs Cancer made the difference between coping and not."