Help more children survive their cancer diagnosis this New Year. Donate today.

Florie’s story

The past two Christmases have been difficult for our family since our daughter, Florie, was diagnosed with cancer. We tried our best to get into the festive spirit, but we were overwhelmed and exhausted by everything it took to keep our little girl alive. We received Florie’s diagnosis on 23 March, 2020 – the day the UK went into lockdown. At the hospital, doctors told me our beautiful two year old had Wilms’ tumour, a type of kidney cancer. I felt numb. I couldn’t process what they’d said. Due to COVID-19 restrictions I had to tell my husband her diagnosis by text. Further tests revealed Florie’s cancer was Stage 4, with two metastases in her lungs. She started chemotherapy, which was brutal: her soft red curls fell out, she vomited constantly and she was chronically constipated from the morphine. After surgeons removed her kidney and most of the tumour, we were told the cancer was aggressive and she would need even more chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We are beyond grateful that Florie has survived her ordeal and got to ring the end of treatment bell in 2021, but live in fear that the cancer will recur. As a parent who has been through it, it’s devastating to know that cancer is still the biggest cause of death in children under the age of 15. Research into more effective treatments is still urgently needed. This New Year, will you donate and help fund life-saving research that will help every child to survive?