At just seven years old, Isabella has already faced more than most of us could ever imagine.
In January this year, Isabella and her family received the devastating news that she had been diagnosed with leukaemia. Suddenly, childhood became filled with treatment, hospital appointments and uncertainty, when it should have been about school, friends, laughter and adventures.
At Holly’s Heroes, we wanted to give Isabella and her family something positive to focus on.
We had already organised a very special experience for Isabella for next year, but sometimes next year can feel an awfully long way away, particularly for a child going through treatment. We didn’t want Isabella to have to wait that long for something exciting to look forward to.
So, we decided to give her a little adventure in the meantime.
And what better adventure for a seven-year-old than the chance to become a zookeeper for the day at Hertfordshire Zoo!
For one very special day, Isabella could put the hospitals and treatment to one side and simply enjoy being seven years old. She was able to immerse herself in the wonderful world of the zoo, creating happy memories and enjoying an experience that was all about fun, excitement and animals.
Most importantly, Isabella had an absolutely wonderful time.
In fact, when the day was over, she gave us perhaps the best review we could ever have hoped for: she wished she could do it all over again.
For us, that says everything.
These experiences are about so much more than a day out. They give children something exciting to count down to, something to talk about and, afterwards, wonderful memories to hold onto. For families whose lives have been turned upside down by childhood cancer, those moments of happiness are incredibly precious.
Isabella still has her special experience next year to look forward to, but we’re so pleased that we were able to bring a little extra happiness into her journey right now.
Keep fighting and keep smiling, Isabella. We hope there are many more wonderful adventures still to come.
