Rachael’s Special Day story
When Rachael was diagnosed with Leukaemia, her life changed completely. From being totally independent, Rachael then had to rely solely on those around her when she was going through her treatment. Remembering life before her diagnosis seemed like a distant memory but having her Special Day, helped Rachael and her family create some unforgettable memories.
I was working full time as a teacher when I was diagnosed with Leukaemia – the news came as a huge shock. I’ve always worked and been very independent. Then my life changed overnight. I was admitted into hospital and had to rely on doctors, nurses and family to be able to do the simplest things for me, which was so hard. My family made sure I was never alone and visited me in hospital on a rota. But this also meant they didn’t get to see each other.
I was scared of being left alone, even for a few minutes.
Rachael
When I came out of hospital, my daily care fell to my mum which meant she couldn’t go out and live her own life. I depended on her so much; I was scared of being left alone, even for a few minutes. In the last year, my life has been a constant cycle of hospital visits, blood tests and tablets.
Planning my Special Day, I hoped it would allow me to forget about being ill, have an enjoyable weekend and create a memory that didn’t have anything to do with the hospital.
Having a date in my diary that wasn’t an appointment gave me something to look forward to during long hours of hospital treatment.
The Special Day itself allowed my family and me to remember what life was like before I became ill. But most importantly we were able look forward to life after my treatment.”
