Some gifts aren’t under the tree. Some gifts aren’t in a box. Some gifts aren’t visible, but they stay with someone long after the festive season ends.
This Winter, we celebrate the gifts of support, care, and comfort that make a real difference for people living with blood cancer and their families.
People like Alan
In early 2023, while on holiday, Alan noticed he felt fatigued. At times breathless. He put these symptoms down to being overweight, a lack of fitness, or just age. Rarely suspecting blood cancer.
A visit to his GP led to weeks of investigative tests, eventually summoned to see a haematology consultant and a cancer nurse at the hospital – petrifying. Alan and his wife heard the words ‘you have leukaemia’.
A sinking feeling set in.
This was the hardest
A few years on, Alan now compares living well with leukaemia to a rollercoaster – with the same highs and lows.
When anxious or unsure, hundreds of patients like Alan don’t hesitate to phone the Leukaemia Care Helpline to speak with nurse Fiona, who quickly becomes their ‘go to nurse’ offering advice and emotional support. Reminding and reassuring families up and down the country how well they are coping with the situation.
In the comfort of their own homes, patients like Alan sit with their laptops and a cup of tea to attend the charity’s online support groups. Spending time with others who very much understand. The impact of coming away from that vital service informed with accurate updates and condition-specific information, with a boost of calmness, simply can’t be underestimated.
Donate to support people like Alan →
Some gifts aren’t bought. Some gifts aren’t wrapped. Some gifts are felt in quiet moments, in shared stories, in the comfort of knowing someone is there.
This Winter, the most meaningful gifts are often the ones you can’t see – but can feel.