A GRATEFUL family are backing a charity appeal to transform the hospital ward which saved their son’s life.
Alfie Powell, of Worsbrough Dale (pictured right), was two-years-old when he was suddenly taken ill. Transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, he was quickly diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour and began six months of chemotherapy to save his life.
The day after he was taken ill, following blood tests, a chest X-ray and ultrasound, doctors at Barnsley Hospital had found a large mass in Alfie’s kidney area. He was transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and spent the next 12 days on the cancer ward.
Mum Emma Holden said: “He was just a normal two-year-old, running about playing in the park. He was even playing in the paddling pool and the garden the weekend before we had to take him into the hospital.
“He started being sick, his temperature was soaring, and he was really unwell. We took him into the hospital and they gave him morphine to ease his pain.
“When Alfie was first diagnosed, we were in a small room with no natural light, and then we moved onto an open ward. Unfortunately, he was not a quiet child and we felt really bad for disturbing other patients.”
Alfie was diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour, a cancer of the kidneys. His dad Aaron Powell said: “I cannot even put into words, the feelings, the emotion and how we felt seeing Alfie in so much pain. It was heartbreaking. He didn’t walk for ten days, and even when he did, he was like a baby again learning to walk and balance.
“But that’s also when we met our heroes, the amazing staff, doctors, nurses and play specialists. They are all fantastic at what they do and did for Alfie and our family.”
Emma added: “The care was simply amazing, they all learned to understand Alfie, his ways and how to deal with him. They all helped him develop so much and make life that little bit easier for us.
“On our first night, a nurse told us ‘don’t worry, we’re all a big family here’ and it’s certainly true.”
After his diagnosis in July 2018, Alfie began weekly doses of chemotherapy, which ended in February this year. Alfie also had surgery to remove his tumour and kidney, spending a further eight days in hospital.
On March 29, the family received the news that Alfie had been given the all-clear, just in time for Mother’s Day and his third birthday. To celebrate, Alfie rang the ward bell to mark the end of his treatment and was invited to be a mascot at a Barnsley’s home match with Fleetwood Town, walking out of the tunnel with his hero, midfielder Cameron McGeehan.
Emma said: “To see him ring the bell was amazing, it was such a relief. It’s something we’ve been focused on since the very start and I couldn’t wait for him to do it.
“We’re hoping he won’t remember everything about what happened, but I’ve made him a scrapbook, so he’ll always remember how brave, strong and amazing he is.”
Alfie is due to start nursery for the first time in September, with the family planning lots of days out and trips over the summer to make the most of every moment together.
The family have also organised a fun day on June 22 at The Greyhound in Worsbrough Dale, to raise funds for the redevelopment of the cancer ward at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
The £2.75m appeal will transform the ward with more space, privacy and natural light. It will create private patient rooms with en-suite facilities, giving patients a place to make their own and space for a parent to sleep comfortably alongside them.
It will also increase the ward footprint, with larger bed bays and more isolation rooms, and more than double the size of the ward class room, ensuring illness does not interrupt patients who wish to continue their learning.
“We stayed on both the cancer ward and the new wards, so we saw just how different they are,” said Emma.
“We want to help make the ward be the best it possibly can be, for all the children and families who are about to begin their journeys, as well as the friends we’ve made along the way who are still undergoing treatment.
“It’s our way of saying thank you for saving our son’s life. There’s lots of family and friends who are fundraising too as a way of saying thank you and showing just how amazing they think everyone is for what they do.”
