gaps:line Volunteers Tell Their Stories

Lesley Ann's Story

Gaps:line: What were the first signs for you that something was not right with you child?
Lesley Ann: I noticed that Katie seemed very tired.

How did you feel?
This worried me, as she was usually full of energy.

How did you first learn your child had cancer?
The doctor did a blood test, telling me she may have had glandular fever. Later the doctor called to our house, telling us that the blood test showed Katie had leukaemia.

What was your response?
Absolute shock – this happens to people in the papers or other people, not us. I just wanted to go to bed and pull the covers over my head. How could this be happening to my precious little girl?

What sort of treatment did they have?
Two years of chemo. After a year, it became less intense treatment, referred to as maintenance. Nine months after treatment finished, leukaemia returned then she had to go through stronger chemo and a bone marrow transplant.

How did you feel about this?
I felt so helpless, when treatment made Katie so ill. When she had the bone marrow transplant she was very ill and we nearly lost her. I just prayed and hoped, I knew she was a fighter and would not let it beat her.

How did you hear the 'all clear'?
We have never been given the all-clear, even though it is now eleven years since her transplant. The doctors just say the longer time goes on, the better.

How did you react to that?
Katie is so well now I could not imagine her getting ill again. She is getting married in October in the Dominican Republic and I just want her to have the best day ever.

How did you come to be involved with gaps:line?
One of our home-care nurses told me about gaps:line needing volunteers.

How did that make you feel?
I felt it would be nice to help someone where their child had been diagnosed with cancer. I felt pleased that I was accepted as a volunteer and would hopefully be able to give something back.

What is it like being a gaps:line volunteer?
The training was excellent and I met lots of new people. I realised that just talking and listening can do so much good. I feel really pleased to be part of the gaps team and the training I was given, gave me the confidence to start taking calls.

What do you feel about being a gaps:line volunteer?
When I receive calls I am both excited and nervous but feel pleased that I am able to comfort someone. It is lovely to speak to someone and at the end of the call, most people are so thankful and say it really helped them to talk to someone that understood. That will always be a very special feeling.

Where are you and your family today?
All happy, just getting on with life. My son got married last year and Katie got married in October.

How does that leave you feeling?
It is great, just being a normal family.