On December 13th, our beautiful, brilliant, and funny 12-year-old niece, Grace, received a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) following a brief illness. Shortly thereafter, she was admitted to the Children's Hospital for Wales in Cardiff and started chemotherapy.

The Welsh NHS and the Rainbow ward at Noah's Ark Children's Hospital in Cardiff, have proven to be exceptional, with significant support from LATCH, a charity dedicated to aiding children and their families grappling with cancer and leukemia throughout Wales. They provide hotel-standard bedrooms, with televisions as well as kitchen facilities, a laundry room, a dining room and lounge so families can make themselves at home. The accommodation is offered to families free of charge and helps keep families together during their child’s stay in hospital. They do so much more including:

Emotional Support for Brothers and Sisters

Benefits Advice

Advocacy

Signposting

Ward-based family Support Workers

Putting it simply, LATCH makes life easier for children and their families so that they can give their all to their treatment without letting anything else get in their way.

Grace, Hadi & Dan and the rest of the family have had our worlds turned upside down, yet she continues to face it with a smile and the resilience of a real trooper. While we may be limited in directly helping her, contributing to LATCH's fundraising efforts seems like a positive step.

Grace is aware that she may lose her hair, a particularly challenging prospect for a young girl. In solidarity, Phil and I have pledged to remain bald for the same duration as she does.

Recognising that it's the holiday season and finances may be tight, we nonetheless appeal to your generosity. If you can spare even a small amount to support Grace and families in similar situations, it would truly be a wonderful contribution to a meaningful cause, making a difference in their lives.