Chemo Duck…These two small words have inspired the mother of a cancer fighting toddler to raise much needed funds to help Radio Lollipop Newcastle.
Almost a year ago, little Alex Wood was given a Chemo Duck by her hospital play specialist to help her and her family to understand and come to terms with her treatment for retinoblastoma (eye cancer).
Before reaching Alex, the duck had been on a very long journey, helped on its way by Radio Lollipop. Newcastle volunteer Helen Hudspith said, “I do some web design work for children with cancer. Through that I got to know about the chemo duck programme and we were sent 12 of the ducks (all the way from Tennessee USA) to give to kids in Newcastle. After Alex’s family were given one of the thereputic toys, her Mum Rachel was determined for other kids to benefit from them too. She contacted me at Radio Lollipop and I helped her to get ahold of 24 ducks from the lady who sent them to me originally”.
Alex’s family did a big fundraiser at the Big Club Bolden Colliery to bring the ducks over to England and was so grateful for the help that Lollipop gave her in getting ahold of the ducks that she donated the remainder of the money to Radio Lollipop in Newcastle.
Rachel said “Alex went through a really tough time with her treatment and “ducky” was with us throughout. It was a huge help for me to show Alex what her treatment would involve. She adores her ducky. We are fortunate that she is doing well now and wanted to thank Radio Lollipop for helping us to bring more of the ducks over to England. I don’t think we would have got them here without a big team effort and it’s great when all of these organisations get together with one aim – to help the children at times when they desperately need it. We have struck up a special bond with Helen and the team at Newcastle in our attempts to get the ducks over to England. We certainly want to keep in touch with Radio Lollipop and are looking forward to Newcastle’s big party in the summer”.
Above, you can see Alex and her cousin Ellie, surrounded by the 24 chemo ducks that were distributed between Newcastle and Birmingham children’s cancer units where Alex has received treatment.
For further information about the ducks, you can contact Gabe’s My Heart at www.gabesmyheart.org
You can also watch this video, which was featured on American TV