“I was 14 at the time and was due to sit my GCSE exams the following year but had no idea whether I would be able to do so. My treatment consisted of two and a half years of IV and oral chemotherapy which made me feel incredibly sick and tired. My life was thrown into turmoil, as was my family’s, and we didn’t know what the future held.

It was such a scary and emotional time, but we were grateful for the kindness and support of the doctors and nurses, as well as the amazing people at Momentum. Momentum was there from the very beginning and took us under their wing.

Momentum considered the needs of the whole family, not just the sick child, so nobody was left out. They genuinely cared about our well-being and offered support that was tailored to our needs. 

  • The Momentum Family Support team constantly checked in on us, seeing how I was as well as the rest of the family and asked if there was anything we needed.
  • They introduced me to two other teenage girls going through similar treatment. This helped enormously as I felt less alone, and we were able to share our experiences. Emily, my mum, still remains great friends with the mums of these two girls. 
  • Momentum sent gifts to me to lift my spirits when things were particularly tough and surprise gifts for my two siblings.
  • They provided professional counselling for me and my family. This was extremely helpful, especially as the support from the hospital soon after diagnosis was not a success.
  • They offered unlimited trips on their river boat, skippered, and managed by some fantastic volunteers.
  • My family and I stayed for a weekend in the Momentum cabin in the New Forest. This provided a much-needed break and change of scenery as any other holiday was out of the question. It was clean and safe and there was a hospital nearby if we needed it. 
  • Momentum also make the paediatric rooms at Kingston Hospital more child friendly by painting colourful murals on the walls to make it feel less intimidating. 

I finished treatment in August 2019, managing to complete my GCSEs on time and with good grades. I have recently just graduated from the University of Birmingham with a 2:1 in Biomedical Science. I am now pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry where I can play my part in helping others live longer and better lives.”