Video: Children’s trip to Winter Wonderland
A four year old boy who is the only person in the world to survive his condition joined other children treated at the QMC for an evening of ice skating and meeting Santa at the Nottingham Winter Wonderland.
The kids were taken for a night of fun by Team Rossi Foundation, a charity which helps local children with cancer to enjoy a better life.
They were treated to exclusive use of the Ice Bar, ice skating with princesses and characters, exclusive use of the fair’s rides and a hot dog and sweets after.
Four year old Leo was one of around 20 children who went on the trip, but is only one of three people in the world known to have his condition.
He had TSC2, a blood condition; Tuberous Sclerosis; Rhabdomyomas, a tumour of the heart, and Wilm’s Tumour.
His mum, Emma-Louise Nelson, said: “It means a lot for Leo, especially psychologically because he’s been through a lot- he was restricted from seeing people and being to interact with people in case he got a virus or got a cold.
“He interacted with a few people once and it ended up with him in hospital for two months, so these little events with Team Rossi are just amazing for him.
“People shouldn’t take Christmas for granted because you never know when it can be pulled away from you.”
Patsy Ward’s three-year-old son Alfie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was 13 months old.
She said: “It’s fantastic, it’s just lovely to get together, we have so many times when things are not very nice at the hospital and it’s just really nice to have a great night out together.”
Team Rossi was set up by Leanne Starbrook after her son Rossi was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2014.
It started as a fundraising effort for him, but then grew into her wanting to help everybody in the hospital.
She said: “It’s the be all and end all for me, as Rossi’s been in hospital for the last two Christmases and it just makes you appreciate the finer things, the little things.
“I think it’s important for every child to just enjoy every single minute they have.
“The resilience of children and what I have seen on an oncology ward at the children’s QMC ward is amazing and a lot of people could learn from going on a children’s ward.”
Jane Icke’s 6-year-old daughter Alice was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumour in 2014, and after treatment relapsed last July.
She recently got the all clear again.
She said: “It gives the kids, who a lot of them know each other from being on the ward, the chance to spend time together and do normal festive things.
“This time of year is always kind of special for us because Alice is well, but obviously there are a lot of children on the ward who aren’t very well.
“Team Rossi and lots of other charities help make days a little bit brighter for them and bring Christmas festivities when they can.”
Rossi himself was at the event, and he was enjoying his night.
He said: “When I got here I had to wait and wait and wait to go in the ice bar.
“It was worth the wait- everything, literally everything was made out of ice!”
