Karen and Andrew Phillips were inspired to establish their own charity after their son Harry was helped through his treatment for leukaemia by a special aid. Here, Karen tells us more.
For us, the date 13 November 2012 and the days leading up to it won’t ever be forgotten. This was when Harry, our seven-year-old son, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Yes, life for our family, changed forever. Flu symptoms and dry skin on his back very quickly changed to a temperature over 40O. Harry was referred to our local hospital and, after hours of waiting, we heard the words no one wants to hear: “Your child has leukaemia.”
That moment, our world fell apart, as it did for Harry’s brother and sister, Luke and Hannah.
We were immediately transferred by ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary. We’ll never forget Harry’s admission to Ward 31, at 7:50pm. Tests started immediately and this was the start of three years and three months of chemotherapy. The care Harry received there and the support we got was second to none.
During his treatment, Harry was promised a Chemo Duck - a soft, cuddly friend that would help him cope with the challenges ahead. They’re fitted with the same medical lines and ports to mirror those of the child, and are used through play therapy to prepare children for every cancer treatment they have to endure.
At that time, it was difficult to source a Chemo Duck. However, Andrew was able to contact Lu Sipos, who created Chemo Duck in the States to help her son Gabe, and she sent us one. Harry’s eyes lit up when he received it and it was a constant companion throughout his journey. In addition, Luke and Hannah received a Huggable Hope, a special friend of Chemo Duck, to help support them.
Trying to explain procedures and treatment to a child can make them scared, upset and anxious, and Harry’s duck really helped him. In turn, this helped make the process less upsetting and stressful for us as parents, too.
So, we decided to take something positive from this horrendous situation. Seeing the difference Chemo Duck and Huggable Hope made to our family, we wanted to offer these resources to every child in the UK. With Lu’s support and permission, we founded The Give A Duck Foundation in 2015 and have received positive feedback from healthcare professionals and families alike about how we’re helping children cope with the anxieties of treatment.
Harry has finished all his treatment and his five-year aftercare plan and is doing really well. He enjoys gaming and helps us raise money for the Foundation. Another spin off from Harry’s illness is how he developed a passion for magic during treatment, which is another source of fundraising income when he amazes people in restaurants with his tricks! He even won Youngster of the Year 2014 at the Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards for fundraising.
The Give A Duck Foundation
From our initial work with the play team at Leeds General Infirmary we now supply 25 hospitals, children’s specialist cancer treatment centres and charities, throughout the UK. Each child names their duck and we work with Blue Light Babies (a network of over 3,800 volunteers who connect via a Facebook group) who create outfits for them.
For further information, please visit www.giveaduck.org.uk or email info@giveaduck.org.uk
