Supporting children and young people through cancer requires a joint effort from many different people in different roles. Candlelighters funds a variety of roles to support patients and families, to ensure the best possible care throughout their journey.
Outreach Play Specialists
Outreach Play Specialists deliver play therapy to patients in their homes. Candlelighters currently funds two Outreach Play Specialists, Tracy and Rachel, to support patients and their families. They play a critical role in supporting the emotional and psychological wellbeing of patients, helping them to understand their diagnosis in an age-appropriate way and using play to reduce anxiety around treatment and visiting the hospital. They will also work with siblings to help them understand what's happening to their brother or sister. This includes work with bereaved siblings, helping to ease the pressure on parents to know what to say to their other children.
Matilda was referred to the play therapist due to procedural anxiety. It's a very scary thing for a 4-year-old having to go through so many procedures with so much poking and prodding. She would be inconsolable, and as a parent, there's nothing worse than having to hold your child down while they beg you not to let them take blood, give chemo, or access her port. Tracy, Matilda's play therapist uses play as a way of helping her understand what she is going through. The difference in Matilda since having these sessions is amazing... we owe so much to Tracy and Candlelighters for giving us the opportunity to help her explore and understand what she's going through in a fun and therapeutic way.
- Hannah, mum to Matilda
Dinner Supervisor
For many years, Candlelighters has funded Dinner Supervisor, Elaine, based on the paediatric oncology ward. Elaine is a firm favourite with families, helping ensure that children, who may experience changes to their appetite or sense of taste due to treatment, can get the nourishment they need. She aims to cater for any food a child craves at a time that suits them, even outside standard hospital mealtimes. Sometimes she’ll use fun and creative ways to encourage children to eat like making special ‘rocket’ or ‘unicorn’ toast!
I did not want to eat anything because of my mouth being so sore. But a wonderful lady called Elaine came in every morning and tried to get me to eat and I did. Soft coco pops were the best, then she made me a milkshake with ice cream in and it was amazing. It made my mouth feel so much better, I had one every day.
- Patient
Outreach Chemotherapy Worker
In 2024, Candlelighters began funding a pioneering new NHS role – an Outreach Chemotherapy Worker. Neil Shaw undertook this role, allowing chemotherapy to be administered to eligible patients in their homes. As Leeds Children’s Hospital is one of only two specialist centres for children’s cancer in Yorkshire, some families travel great distances for their child’s treatment. This travel can be disruptive to family life, resulting in missed work and school and adds financial strain with costs like petrol and parking. By giving families the option to receive chemotherapy at home where possible, we can help to reduce disruption to daily life. Not only this, we can help to reduce the anxiety felt by some children around visiting hospital and help them feel more in control of their treatment.
Neil treated Nina in an early trial of chemotherapy at home after she became eligible. It made life a lot easier and the treatment a lot less traumatic. It transformed very tricky days into just a small amount of time. Nina still has some difficult memories of being in the hospital, so being able to be in her own home, in a space where she felt comfortable, was an incredible improvement for us all. She could even pick out her own plasters afterwards. Although this sounds so small, it made such a difference to how she was able to cope during the process away from a clinical environment.
- Vikki, mum to Nina
Our friendly family support team are on hand to help. Get in touch by phone or email.