Brave Sam’s Spooky Trail
By admin
Issued on behalf of The Joshua Foundation
LITTLE Sam Ford been through more in his two years than most adults do in a lifetime, after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just seven months old, in March 2006.
Doctors were baffled by Sam’s episodes of crying, and initially thought he may have meningitis, until a brain scan revealed the tumour and gave Sam emergency surgery to remove the cancer.
Since the operation, Sam, who is from Pontprennau, has spent more than five months in hospital having chemotherapy treatment, and was also one of the youngest patients to ever have radiotherapy treatment at Velindre Hospital. His current treatment is now finished, and doctors are hopeful he’ll make a full recovery, but it’s been a stressful time for Sam, his mum Fiona (33), his dad Nick (35) and older brother Harry (4).
South Wales-based charity, The Joshua Foundation, heard the family’s story, and invited all four as well as Fiona’s mum Jan to a special Halloween this week (Tuesday October 30th) at Caerphilly Castle.
The Joshua Foundation was set up Caerphilly mum Sarah Cornelius in 1998, in memory of her son, Joshua, who died from abdominal cancer at the age of just seven. Since then, the charity has raised more than £3 million to help children and families in a similar situation, by providing holidays and experiences for children with cancer, and their families.
The annual Halloween Party is a chance for families from across the country to get together for a fun event with face painting, fancy dress, ghostly games and a disco, followed by a group trip to Bristol Zoo the following day. Many of the children at the party have been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Sam’s mum Fiona said: “We are really looking forward to the party, we are all going in fancy dress! It will be nice to spend time together as a family as we’ve spent most of the last year in hospital with Sam. We’ve met lots of other families going through the same thing as us, and it will be lovely to see some of them at the party too.
“The Joshua Foundation has really helped us through Sam’s illness. Although we’re grateful that he’s too young to understand what’s going on, it has been hard on us as a family. The charity have paid for us all a couple of times to stay in their apartments in Fishguard to have some rest and relaxation after going through Sam’s treatment – it makes a real difference to escape hospitals for a while.
“Despite everything Sam has been through, he’s a lovely little boy, really happy and bubbly, and that helps keep us going too.”
Sarah Cornelius, who is Chief Executive of the Joshua Foundation, said: “What sets The Joshua Foundation apart from other ‘wish’ charities is that we include the whole family in our holidays and experiences. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family suffers, especially siblings, as parents have to concentrate their time and energy on the child who is ill.
“This party and the trips that follow it offer families the chance to relax and have fun together, as well as the chance to get to know others who going through the same trauma.”
