Young lady who was supported by Momentum as a child

“It was November 2019 when I first noticed an unusual lump on my tummy. It wasn’t painful, just a little sore if I touched it or if my clothes rubbed against it. Over time, it started to grow, and a few more lumps appeared on my upper body, so we decided to see a GP. We ended up visiting three different doctors, each reassuring us that it was nothing serious and prescribing a steroid cream. Thankfully, the third GP decided to refer me for a biopsy at The Royal Marsden Hospital.

Before long, we received a call from the hospital saying they suspected it might be leukaemia. The next day, we went in, and I was given the official diagnosis of ALL and told I wouldn’t be going back to school for quite some time. Just a week later, I began intensive chemotherapy.

Most of my treatment took place at The Royal Marsden, but I also spent long periods at St George’s Hospital and Kingston Hospital whenever I developed infections. My chemotherapy lasted eight months, much of it during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. My mum and I spent weeks at a time in isolation rooms to reduce the risk of catching other infections or Covid. At one point, we were separated from my younger brother, Dominic, who was 13 at the time, for three whole months.

In May 2020, I had a bone marrow transplant, followed by a long and gruelling recovery. With no immune system, I became extremely vulnerable to infection, developed mucositis, and lost a lot of weight.

During that time, we met Kelly, a Family Support Worker from Momentum, at The Royal Marsden. She was so warm, friendly, and reassuring – exactly what we needed. Kelly told us about Momentum’s riverboat and their respite cabins, and she arranged weekly catchups with me and my mum. Knowing Momentum was there for us made such a difference, and it gave us something positive to look forward to – a trip on the boat and a stay in the cabin once I was well enough.

As well as providing emotional support and guidance, Momentum did so many thoughtful things for me during my treatment. I received lovely gifts, including a beautiful blanket knitted by one of their volunteers, which brought so much comfort during my hospital stays. They also arranged piano lessons over Zoom, which became a real escape and something positive that helped take my mind off treatment while also learning a new skill. Momentum even organised a therapy dog visit for me at Kingston Hospital. When I finally rang the bell at the end of my treatment, my Family Support Worker was right there with me to celebrate that moment. Momentum went above and beyond for me and my family, and it felt like there was always someone there for us. We are so grateful for the support they provided.

When my intense chemo had finished, we went on Momentum’s boat and stayed at one of their cabins. It meant so much to us to be able to spend that time together, after spending months apart.

At the start of my treatment, I tried my best to continue studying for my A-Levels, but I was advised to take a year out, focus on my treatment, and start Year 12 again in September 2020, on a phased return.

To other young people going through treatment who are worried about their studies, I would say, don’t be too hard on yourself – you will get where you need to be, in time. What you are going through is testament to your strength and courage. Use the support services that are available to you – I really benefitted from the help from charities like Momentum. I hope that sharing my story will show that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Things that really helped me during my treatment were having regular scheduled calls with family and friends – it gave me something to look forward to every day. Apps like Netflix Party were great too – allowing me to watch films and shows with friends online. Online Scrabble was always good fun too. Anything that gave me the opportunity to talk about everyday life and distract me from my treatment was always welcome.

My family and I have organised different fundraising initiatives for Momentum, including an art challenge which raised £250 and my brother ran a 10k also raising around £250.

In my spare time, my mum and I volunteer for Momentum, painting pebbles for children receiving support from the charity. My mum is a talented painter, and I enjoy it too. I have painted between 5-10 pebbles so far, including a Superman design and a Friends one.

I am currently in my final year at Bristol University, where I am studying Politics and International Relations. I have just spent a year in France as part of my degree, and I hope to do a master’s in international law.”

Story taken November 2025.