Another sunny holiday

It was a real joy to join the Lollars for their unexpected holiday on the Lincolnshire coast.  The weather was mostly sunny so we could go to the Seal Sanctuary, the children could scoot and enjoy the rides in the little funfair on the Haven site and play in the local park.  One evening the four of them went bowling after the children’s usual bedtime – great excitement!

However we did get a better insight into Pheobe’s daily struggles with vomiting, tiredness and very little desire to eat.  Despite all the missed schooling she is doing well with phonics and reading which she does with Rachel every day.

At the end of the week they went on to Lincoln for two nights’ B&B at the home of the grandma of Phoebe’s best friend from school, while we returned home.

We have been amazed at the number of charities we have come across since entering the world of childhood cancer.  Our holiday caravan was provided by Ben’s Den, set up by the family of a boy who had leukaemia.  The garden centre where we stopped for tea on the way home was supporting The BrainTumour Charity.  The Sheffield Children’s Hospital has its own charity and is helped by several others providing accommodation for parents, bags of craft items for children, teddies to help staff explain medical procedures … the list goes on … what wonderful examples of God’s common grace in difficult circumstances.

Thursday 11^th June is the day  Phoebe will start her chemotherapy treatment.  We don’t know yet exactly how life will pan out for us all, but we are expecting her to be in hospital almost all the time for the rest of this year, with Rachel and Matt with her during the day and alternating staying with her at night.  Our focus will be caring for Reuben; children are not allowed to visit a child in isolation so there will be long periods when he is unable to see his sister.  We will need great reserves of imagination, energy, patience and wisdom to understand his needs, keep the discipline boundaries he is used to and provide the emotional support he will need in addition to fun, exercise, learning and treats that the normal life of a 3 year old involves.


Jen will be “flying solo” in this for the first five weeks while Reuben attends nursery each morning until the end of term, as Marcus will be away in Madagscar seeking to support and encourage our friends there.  Happily his visit coincides with the celebrations of 20 years since the project began.