Families of children with cancer treated to lunch at Northampton College

Mr Banana Brain entertains the children.

Families of children receiving treatment for cancer at Northampton General Hospital come together to share their stories and support each other at a special lunch held at Northampton College.

The event, organised by Northampton General Hospital and sponsored by the Leon Barwell Trust, saw more than a dozen families affected by cancer invited to a lunch prepared by catering students at the college’s Booth Lane campus, along with entertainment from Mr Banana Brain.

Parents were given the chance to meet others going through the same experience, to talk about what they are going through and discuss the ways they deal with the situation day-in, day-out, whilst children and siblings could play and enjoy an afternoon of socialising, fun and entertainment.

Paediatric Consultant Dr Bindu Koodiyedath said: “We organised this event to help the children, siblings and parents know that they’re not going through this difficult journey alone. It gives them a chance to make friends, share experiences and look at us as a team doing more than just giving treatment.

“For siblings too it helps them to make friends, make memories and makes life a bit more pleasant. It’s good to see the children undergoing chemotherapy happy, playing and most importantly being children!”

Faye Harris attended the lunch with her three-year-old daughter Maggie, who has leukaemia, and said: “It’s nice for all of us to get together. We do see a few familiar faces in hospital but you’re normally just passing and you never get five minutes to sit and chat.

“It’s good for Maggie to see other children who don’t have any hair and who are unwell. If she’s not at school she will see them in the play room at the hospital and they can be her little friends.

“The event has been really helpful and it’s great for parents to have someone to talk to. Friends and family help but they never know exactly what you’re going through so it’s good to be able to talk about specific things that the other parents can genuinely relate to.”

Factfile about Childrens Oncology at NGH

• 40 patients reciving treatment between April 2016 and March 2017
• 2 Oncology Consultants working alongside a multi-disciplinary team
• 60 to 80 home visits per month
• Support provided to patients, parents and siblings
• Community home visits provide support and some treatments in patients own homes
• NGH is a Level 3 Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Unit (POSCU) sharing care with the Principal Treatment Centre at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham  as part of the East Midlands Children’s and Young Persons’ Integrated Cancer Service.