"biggest ever" end-of-treatment party

She'd been planning for it since she was diagnosed, in 2005, and there was over 100 guests.

Katie didn't want presents. She had a collection for CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA instead and raised £554.30!

It was important for Katie that other boys and girls could hope for a faster, less painful treatment for leukaemia.

Katie was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic (lymphoid) leukaemia (ALL) on 29th October 2005, aged 6.

"It’s the thing that’s never going to happen to you. The shock and grief of hearing the news and watching your child having to deal with it over years is hard to describe. It affects the whole family. I could write pages describing the unimaginable SADNESS of the whole situation," says Katie's mother, Sheila.

She continues, "But there is a bright side. There's the thoughtfulness and support of friends, family and professionals that has carried us through the last two and a half years".

Katie’s last day of treatment was a lumbar puncture on 23rd January 2008. On 10th February she held her “biggest ever end-of-treatment party”.

Katie had been planning her party from the first week of diagnosis. Over the months and years the party plans changed, but one thing remained certain for katie: it was always going to be the “biggest party ever”, and it was, with over 100 guests!

"Whatever the future brings, it was important for us to mark the end of this stage for all of us and to thank friends and family for getting us through it," says Katie's mum.

Katie also wanted the money collected at the party to be a way of thanking CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA for inviting her to the 2007 Amazing Great Children’s Party - an annual event for children whose lives are not the expected carefree ones of childhood.

 

If you would like to read other stories of children who have been diagnosed with leukaemia visit our Patient stories section.

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