Zoe’s story

How did it all begin?
My six year old daughter had been ill for a while and we’d taken her to see our doctor” says Leah Elliot-Whitehouse. “We were told that she most likely had a viral infection. Then one day she came home yellow. Even her eyes were yellow, and we went for three blood tests. We waited a whole month for the results and then they told us it was cancer. I felt my legs almost give way.” top of page

Coping with Cancer
During treatment, Zoe had to be taken to one hospital for chemotherapy, another for liver-related treatment and to her local hospital for check ups. Leah and her husband had four other children, including two twins who were only four months old. “Going to the hospital was really stressful.  We had to rely on my mum and also my husband’s employer giving him time off work,” Leah explains.

“When Zoe was in hospital the first few times, my husband had time off work and my mum would look after the twins - Cody and Louis. My mum was ill herself with heart disease and she couldn’t manage the twins on her own. In the end we decided she would take Zoe to the hospital for her chemo trips and I stayed with the kids. To begin with the poor twins didn’t recognise me. I’d been looking after Zoe so much, and they used to cry all day until my husband returned.”

How did CLIC Sargent help?
“Having Lynn around made life a lot easier”, says Leah. Lynn is Zoe’s CLIC Sargent Nurse who visits her at home around twice a week. It saves the family making regular trips back to hospital for blood tests and other simple treatments. “Lynn explains everything to me and is an enormous help, I talk to her about how I’m feeling and my worries. She always reassures me that what I’m going through is normal for someone in my position and knowing she is there for us makes such a difference.” top of page

Christmas 2007
Just a few weeks before last Christmas Zoe’s family were told by the doctors that there was not much hope for Zoe. Cody and Louis were only six months old so it was their first Christmas. Leah was determined to make sure Zoe got home for Christmas. “I had to make it the most special Christmas ever” she says.

Zoe was still in hospital undergoing treatment the week before Christmas. Fortunately, with Lynn’s home visits, she was able to stay at home for a week over Christmas and it was very special for the family. On Christmas Day, Zoe woke up in her own bed, opened presents around her tree, and was surrounded by the people who loved her so much.

Christmas 2008
A year on and Zoe is doing really well and is finishing treatment. She is getting stronger by the day and really looking forward to this Christmas. Zoe’s family will be able to spend this Christmas at home together.

But there are around 10,000 families who face a difficult time going through cancer treatment. With Christmas just around the corner, we really do need extra funds so that we can ensure more children can stay at home during Christmas.