I know it might feel a little strange posting about Christmas in August — but when it comes to making sure kids at the LGI wake up with presents on Christmas morning, it’s never too early to start. (Besides, if the shops can start selling mince pies in September, I think I’m safe ).

When I first met Chris Sharp in November 2024, I invited him on site for a catch-up before he officially joined my team in January 2025. What should have been a normal conversation turned into a moment I’ll never forget — Chris shared the devastating news that his 4-year-old son, Reggie, had just been diagnosed with cancer.

I could see the pain and hopelessness on Chris’s face. He told me that he and his wife, Georgie, hadn’t even had a moment to think about Christmas. (I’ve honestly lost count of how many times Chris has made me cry — and I’m not usually the emotional one, so that says a lot!).

It didn’t take long to realise that we had to do something. Kids can’t go through Christmas without presents. Together with Damian Maloney, our Production Manager, we rallied around Chris and Georgie and made sure that little Reggie and his brother Bertie had gifts under the tree.

Since then, Chris has shown unbelievable strength. He went on to win Support My Cause 2025, raising an incredible £15,000 for his chosen charity. And thankfully, brave Reggie is now on maintenance treatment.

But here’s the truth: Chris’s story is just one of so many.

How many other families are going through the same struggle? Families who feel alone, facing the unknown? Parents who can’t even think about Christmas because their whole world is consumed by hospital stays, treatment plans, and the desperate hope of seeing their child healthy again.

That’s why Chris and I have joined together this year — to provide Christmas presents for children undergoing cancer treatment at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI). These kids deserve joy, even in the darkest times. And their parents deserve a moment of relief, knowing that someone out there is thinking of them.

We’ve already supported LGI with donations of soft drinks in the past, but this time we want to go further. We want to bring Christmas to the hospital wards — to make sure no child wakes up on Christmas morning without a gift, and no parent feels they have to choose between focusing on survival and celebrating their child’s joy.

This is where we need your help. Every donation, no matter the size, will go directly towards buying presents for children at LGI. Together, we can create smiles where there’s been so much pain.

And hopefully, this won’t just be a one-off — with your support, we can make this an annual tradition, bringing light and hope to families at Christmas year after year.

Please, if you’re able, donate today and help us make a difference.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

Kasia & Chris.