Madelaine's Journey with Leukaemia: May 2008

Madelaine's Journey With Leukaemia

Welcome to 'Madelaine's Journey with Leukaemia'.

This is a site about my Daughter, Madelaine.

Madelaine was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia when she was 14 months old.

The purpose of this site has many facets. Firstly, we (Mummy and Daddy aka Lisa Howe and David Armistead) find it therapeutic to look back on her journey through her illness. We believe she will get better with every breath in our bodies and we want her to read this in her adulthood and wonder what all the fuss was about!
It is for our families and close friends in the hope that they too may have a deeper understanding of her illness and also the issues surrounding it. Also, other parents that find themselves with seriously ill children may find some comfort knowing that they are not on their own. We are are all on this journey together.

Mostly, this is for Madelaine.
One day she will read this and realise her parents have gone mad.........
And she will know how much she is loved..

Dave and I would like to also thank everyone who has supported us throughout Madelaine's illness.

Many people have asked what they can do to help us. Well, we have created a fundraising page on behalf of Madelaine and ourselves with proceeds going to the Candlelighters Trust. The Trust help children with cancer and their families. They have helped us. Unfortunately, there will always be children with cancer and there will always be a need for Candlelighters. So if you want to help, please donate and click on http://www.justgiving.com/madelaineeve

Also, Madelaine and children like her rely on the availability of blood. Madelaine has had many blood transfusions. So if you don't already, please give blood if you can.

And please continue to say your prayers.

Thank you. x

May 22, 2008

What is wrong with some people???

Yesterday I took Madelaine to the Clinic for some more treatment. After talking to Natalie the Play Leader in the play room I was horrified to learn that the 'wii' that the kids play on in clinic has 'gone missing'. In other words it has been stolen.......
The only kids that go to clinic are kids with cancer......who would steal that away from poorly kids??????

Some people have no soul or conscience. Its despicable.
Any money I raise from my sponsored detox is going directly to the playroom.
So if you fancy donating, drop me a line at pandahowe@hotmail.com

Thanks everyone.
Lisa
x

Wind the Bobbin Up...................

Well, our little Madelaine has now started Nursery for a couple of afternoons a week. She has now been going for 3 weeks now. She came home this week swinging her arms around singing 'Wind the Bobbin Up' and clapping.........her first Nursery Song!!!. Just bloomin' gorgeous.........
She is still on Home Maintenance and she is doing fabulously well with her treatment. Her hair is growing too. It lookslike she has a crew cut at the moment...I am looking forward to her hair growing and putting pretty ribbons in it...
She is talking non-stop and loves to dance and sing (of a fashion!).
She found it difficult at Nursery at first as she hasn't really any experience with playing with other children apart from the children on the Ward or at the clinic. She is still slowly coming out of her shell as far as her playtime social skills are concerned. I am sure, though, that this will soon change and she will learn to relax and build relationships with the other children at the Nursery.
Martin, our Macmillan Liaison Nurse, visited the Nursery to give the staff an overview of her illness and issues surrounding it. The staff found it helpful and I feel more reassured too.
The staff are wonderful with Madelaine. Her keyworker is called Sam and Madelaine has really bonded with her which is wonderful.
So times are changing, the sun is in the sky, and my little girl is growing up......

Life's good. xxx

Good Friday Bike Ride

Just a note to everyone about a sponsored bike ride that is taking place on Good Friday for the Candlelighters Trust.
Madelaine's Uncle Clive and Auntie Barbara have organised a sponsored Bike ride. This is taking place on Good Friday (10th April '09). It starts at Yeadon Tarn at 08:30 and finishes at Pateley Bridge. Several people are participating in the ride, including, Maddie's Daddy, Uncle Clive, Steve, Lee and Brendan.
The ride is 22 miles long, and if you are familiar with the route, it's full of hills and beautiful countryside which will make for a very interesting ride.

If you would like to sponsor the boys on their journey, you can donate directly to Candlelighters by clicking on :

Many Thanks for your support

About A.L.L. (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia)

Well, A.L.L. is the most common childhood Leukaemia in the UK. Dave and I were thankful that this is what she had. This might sound bizarre. We are thankful that she something that the Medics know alot about; that they know how to treat.

Approximately 1500 children in the UK are diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia each year.

Basically, it is cancer of the blood.
This is how Leukaemia Research explain:
'A..L.L. is a form of cancer that affects the lymphocyte producing cells in the bone marrow. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that produce antibodies and are a vital part of the bodies immune system. There are two types of lymphocytes called B and T cells.
In A.L.L. there is an accumulation in the bone marrow of immature lymphocyte precursor cells, called Blast cells.
Eventually, the production of normal blood cells is affected by this resulting in a reduction in the numbers of red cells, normal white cells and platelets in the blood'.

I can't speak about anyone else, but I couldn't spell leukaemia or know what what a platelet was before Madelaine's illness....

Dave and I have have been educated very quickly with regards to the functionality of our blood.
We recieve a sheet full of her blood results and are told that these are the important ones for us to pay particular attention to:

White Blood Count - Fight infection
Red Blood Count - Carry oxygen around the body
Platelets - Cells clot to stop bleeding
Neutrophils - Fight infection and are the most numerous of the White Blood Cells

Candlelighters Information

Just a little word about Candlelighters.
They are a charitable organisation that raise money for many things. Such as medical equipment, research and holidays for the families of poorly children. Every child that has attended St James Ward 10 or the Outpatient Clinic has benefitted from Candlelighters donations, even with assistance to parents with petrol bills to and from the hospital, and of course, items that make a poorly child's life a little more bearable, toys, TV's, and those electronic games that Daddy's like too.....!
Candlelighters also fund members of staff attending training courses and medical journals and books. They have provided funding for a children's Playleader in the Outpatients clinic.

The have an office in St James' Hospital. I have inserted a link if you wish to donate to the charity. Please donate if you can. I know from experience that this is not nonsense. This charity actively give. Everyday in one way or another they help children with cancer.

If you can, please donate. It helped me, my Family and Madelaine, and there are many families, just like mine that need a little help.

Thank You.

(http://www.justgiving.com/madelaineeve).

They also can be contacted at:

The Candlelighters Office
Childrens Day Hospital
St James' University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds LS9 7TF

Tel: 0113 2470372
Fax: 0113 2470248

Madelaine and ourselves have greatly appreciated what Candlelighters are doing to make our lives a little more bearable.