Tiernan’s Story

For a child with cancer, when you’re in and out of hospital, Christmas can feel like any other time of year, full of upset and discomfort.

Sadly, there are around 1,800 new cases of cancer diagnosed every year in children aged 0-14 years in the UK. On Christmas Eve 2021, three-year-old Tiernan became one of them when he was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour, a cancer of the kidneys.

Tiernan spent much of the festive period feeling cut off and frightened in hospital, while he underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

It was then that he received a gift from Cancer Support UK, which restored his smile and provided comfort.

If you can, please reach out to another child like Tiernan so we can send them a Bag of Smiles this Christmas, packed full of goodies to distract a child undergoing cancer treatment.

Send a Bag of Smiles to a child with cancer this Christmas for just £8.

FAQs

How will my £8 gift help children with cancer?

Your donation will help us to send 500 Bags of Smiles to children receiving treatment for cancer in hospitals across the UK this Christmas. We are aiming to deliver the bags in mid December – along with our Cuddles for Christmas – just in time for Christmas.

Where will you send the goody bags to?

We have reached out to children’s cancer wards and hospices across the UK. With your help we can send out 500 Bags of Smiles in time for Christmas.

I need cancer support, can you help me?

Of course. Please take a look at our Cancer Kits and Cancer Coach. These services are available free of charge to cancer patients and people who have completed their treatment.

I’d like to set up a regular gift to help even more children and adults in 2023

Thank you so much! You can set up a monthly gift here. We really appreciate our donors’ support as we are only a small charity and we do not receive any government support.

What if you raise more money than you need?

Our Bags of Smiles Christmas campaign aims to deliver 500 bags of goodies to children being treated for cancer in hospital this Christmas. If we’re lucky enough to raise more money than we need, any extra will be used to help fill cancer kits to send out to cancer patients. We receive no government support and our services are needed more than ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you.