Each year, over 150 children in Yorkshire are diagnosed with cancer. Today we’d like to introduce you to one of these incredible children, Matilda. Her mum, Hannah, shares their story… “In 2022, our beautiful daughter Matilda was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. She was only three years old and from that moment our world seemed to stop spinning. We couldn’t believe that it was happening, it was always something that happens to other families not you. But that’s thing with cancer, it’s not your family, until it is. Within the space of thirty hours, we’d gone from taking her to the GP, getting the diagnosis, a general anaesthetic, to starting steroids and chemotherapy. It felt like our family was instantly split in two. One of us in the hospital with Matilda, and the other at home with our youngest daughter Clara, who was one at the time. Oliver and I became passing ships. The only was to accurately describe our experience of childhood cancer is a rollercoaster, it’s been so hard on Matilda, on her little body and her mental health. I sometimes still feel disbelief that she’s gone through all of this, she’s had about 27 general anaesthetics and I’ve never even had one, she’s had more blood tests than any normal adult would have in a whole lifetime and she just carries on and now does it all with a smile on her face, she’s such a force to be reckoned with. Since then, we have received amazing support. Matilda has had sessions with Tracy, the Outreach Play Therapist funded by Candlelighters. The difference in Matilda thanks to these sessions is amazing, the techniques we’ve learnt have become invaluable to Matilda’s journey. She’s so much more comfortable in the clinical settings and less anxious when having procedures done. She now has a much better understanding of her diagnosis and how her treatment helps her get better. Candlelighters have had a profound effect on our family. There is so much trauma that come with a cancer diagnosis not only for the child but for the whole family. I’ve said on so many occasions that the hospital is saving Matilda’s life, and Candlelighters are saving mine.” We rely on donations from our amazing community of supporters to continue delivering vital support. Could you make a donation today to help children like Matilda and her family?
We first heard about Candlelighters in our first morning in hospital. Elaine, Candlelighters Dinner Supervisor, came over with her big smile and tried to convince Matilda to have some of her special toast, I will never forget how lovely she was with Matilda. Then Ryan, one of the Family Support Workers, came to introduce himself and drop a bag of goodies and information about what Candlelighters do. For the first time we felt a little more relaxed knowing we had support. 
We’ve had two Candlelighters holidays to Centre Parcs which was absolutely the break we needed as a family. It takes so much out of you going back and forth to the hospital for treatment so being given the opportunity to get away for a few days to just be a family, not think about cancer and let the kids just be kids, couldn’t be more welcomed. Financially, you don’t realise how much more money you spend when you have a poorly child, our outgoings went up immediately, it’s not something you’d ever think of until you’re in that position. 
We also go to The Square after Matilda’s chemotherapy as she finds it relaxing and loves chatting to the team. Oliver and I both attend the parent groups for Mum and Dads too, and we’ve been to lots of the family events.
