Mabel's Story

Mabel was 4 years old and was so excited to be starting Reception in September last year. The day before she started school, I noticed her lymph nodes behind her ears/throat were really swollen and she had been complaining of a headache/ear ache. I took her to the GP and she was prescribed a week’s antibiotics after one of her ears appeared slightly red.

Mabel continued to go to school but still wasn’t right in herself, coming home with her lunchbox untouched and seeming really tired. I knew it was more than just tiredness from being at school. Her lymph nodes were still swollen, she had a school photo taken with her brother and when the photo came back it didn’t even look like Mabel - her face looked really round and swollen. I made another GP appointment and took her back to see the same Dr - she assured me that it was perfectly normal for the glands to be swollen for “weeks or even months” after an infection. I explained that her face looked different, I felt she was off colour, having headaches etc. The GP said I could ring for a blood test referral but that the waiting list was 3 months (which seemed completely pointless to me).

After coming home from school and falling asleep on the floor, I took Mabel to the GP for the third time in a month and saw a different Dr. She examined Mabel on the table, feeling her tummy and groin. The Dr sent us to the hospital within a couple of hours and Mabel had a full examination (which determined she had an enlarged liver and spleen) and blood tests and within just a few hours we were given the devastating news that she had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

We were absolutely heartbroken and just so shocked. Even though I knew in my heart there was something wrong and I had been doing the dreaded googling - I never thought my child would have cancer.

Mabel had a really rough induction period - within the first month she became completely immobile after being bed bound for weeks. She had toxicity from the Chemotherapy which caused her to be unable to walk, stand up or even hold her own head up at one point.
Mabel didn’t smile for weeks. She barely spoke. She was so angry/emotional and upset all the time - we didn't recognise her personality, she had lost all her joy and sparkle. She also developed problems with her eyes and was unable to move her eyes properly or fully open her eyelids.

On Christmas Eve, after lots of physio and the use of a walker - Mabel began to take her first independent steps after learning how to walk again. We began to get our little girl back - she was smiling and laughing again and being her cheeky self.

After a long 9 months - Mabel made it through ‘frontline treatment’ and on the same weekend she turned 5 she went into ‘maintenance treatment’ which she will continue until November 2025.

Mabel has missed pretty much the whole of Reception. She has just recently started to have some morning/afternoon visits and we hope that in September she will be able to attend school a bit more regularly as she misses her friends very much.

Mabel’s 9 year old brother Freddie has been her biggest comfort throughout this journey - they have an unbreakable bond and he raised nearly £5000 for charity when Mabel was first diagnosed. 💕

Thank you Ben Saunders Foundation for this kind and lovely opportunity, Mabel is so excited to be staying in the holiday home! 🫶🏻