Always By Your Side this Christmas

Bringing hope to families facing childhood cancer this Christmas

At Christmas, many of us look forward to traditions like decorating the tree, sharing festive meals, and gathering with family. But for some families, Christmas is a reminder of the challenges they face—whether they’re spending the holidays in hospital with a child undergoing cancer treatment or navigating their first Christmas after the loss of a child.

While many of us take for granted the joy and togetherness of the season, these families are finding ways to balance celebration with the pain of uncertainty or grief, honouring their children’s memories while holding onto hope for brighter days ahead.

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Always By Your Side

Parents and carers give up everything to be by their children’s side, yet there are still moments during cancer treatments and hospital stays when even family can’t be there.

Enter – bears, dolls, blankets, super heroes, hairbands, toy cars. You name it, they are the ones that can always by your child’s side.

This army of comforters hold their child’s hands and go through everything with them. They are allowed into every room, fit into their hands, sleep by their side, join them in music sessions, best playdates companions, fantastic listeners, great storytellers, best friend and always by their side.

A hospital day or even a simple check up is not complete without their trusted companion.

Buy a Corry bear here

A message from Olivia’s dad, Matthew Taylor

Olivia was just 17 months old when our lives changed forever. My wife and I were told our little girl had a massive brain tumour that was inoperable due to its location. Surgery would mean complete loss of vision as the tumour had engulfed both optic nerves.

We clung to the hope that chemotherapy might shrink the tumour and save her sight, but it was already too late. Just weeks after her diagnosis, Olivia woke up screaming in pain, the pressure from the large tumour had damaged her optic nerves. She was blind. “Since then, Olivia has faced a relentless cycle of treatments. It’s been heartbreaking to watch her get so sick and see the lasting damage these harsh cancer treatments cause.

Through it all, her teddy Corry has been her constant companion, offering comfort when words couldn’t.

Olivia has shown extraordinary courage and I’m so proud of her. Cancer may have taken her sight, but it hasn’t dimmed her sparkle.

Corry is always by my side. She has been on all hospital trips, MRI scans and was with me when I had my brain operation.

Olivia

Read Olivia’s story

12 days of Christmas charity fundraising ideas

Sign-up your school or youth group to our Pyjamarama campaign and get cosy this December.
Inspired by our Christmas Video? Reach out to a someone affected by childhood cancer and let them know that you are by their side, why not drop off a home cooked meal for them.
If your company is kindly paying for you to attend a wonderful Christmas party, why not donate the cost of this with your colleagues to Children with Cancer UK.
In lieu of sending Christmas Cards, let your friends and neighbours know you’ll be donating to Children with Cancer UK to support families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Create a 12-day tournament with friends through our Game Changers challenge and enjoy playing online whilst helping others this Christmas.
Host a Christmas themed quiz, and charge a small fee to take part. Better yet, contact a local comedian to host it for you. Get in touch for more information on how this can be done.
Get together and sing your heart out to some great classic Christmas songs with a Christmas Karaoke challenge. Bonus points to anyone who cracks out some Christmassy dance moves.
Encourage friends, family and colleagues to donate their pay for the last hour before they break up for the Christmas holidays.
Run, cycle or walk 10 km. Complete this physical challenge to highlight the devastating fact that 10 children and young people will continue to be diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK.
Host your very own Christmas Raffle. It’s always a great idea to get in touch with local businesses to secure exciting prizes for your raffle. Alternatively, if you are thinking of holding a Christmas raffle at work and can get it signed off, one of your prizes could be an extra day of annual leave. Get in touch with our fundraising team for more support on your raffle idea.
Get sponsored to brave the crisp winter weather for a festive outdoor swim by taking on the Winter Dip challenge. Top tip: Do some research into organised Christmas Day dips in your local area online.
Everyone’s favourite: Secret Santa. Why not set a £12 limit, with a £2 donation to Children with Cancer UK.

Neive’s story

Neive was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma on 16 September 2022 when she was just five years old. Tragically Neive did not survive her diagnosis, and passed away on 24 October 2023.

Read Neive’s story

Eva Grace‘s story

Ava Grace was diagnosed with retinoblastoma on 2 November 2023 when she was just 1 year old. .

Read Eva Grace’s story

Emmy’s story

Emmy was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in 2019, at the age of 10. Tragically, Emmy did not survive her diagnosis and passed away in November 2020.

Read Emmy’s story