A Yorkshire family is encouraging donors to support children’s cancer charity Candlelighters this Christmas, with a matched donation scheme which will double what people give. The matched funding is live between 3rd and 10th December and donations can be doubled during this time, so whatever people give will have twice the impact.
Parents Charlotte and Josh Breeden from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, are encouraging donations for children’s cancer charity Candlelighters, which supported them after their daughter Nevaeh was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2023, aged just 3. She spent last Christmas in hospital, fighting the blood cancer.
For the first time, this year the charity is taking part in the UK’s biggest matched funding campaign – the Big Give Christmas Challenge – from 3rd to 10th December. Donations made to Candlelighters via the Big Give website between these dates can be doubled – meaning twice the impact for families like Nevaeh’s. The charity is hoping to raise £40,000 through the campaign which would fund the cost of their support for families throughout December.
Nevaeh spent over a month in hospital around Christmas 2023, including Christmas Day. Nevaeh’s dad Josh says, “We were only two months into diagnosis; it was a really challenging time. Hospital is a place you never want to be anyway and it’s definitely made worse at Christmas. It was a lot to deal with but without what the hospital and Candlelighters staff did – it could have been a lot worse. It would have been a very long month and a very depressing day.”
Along with providing routine emotional, practical, and financial support, Candlelighters made Christmas as magical as possible for Nevaeh by providing festive activities and events, visits from Santa, and presents. They also supported families affected by childhood cancer outside of the hospital, helping to make precious happy memories at a Christmas party, and funding Christmas grants to cover added expenses at this time of year.
Josh continues, “Having the support of Candlelighters at Christmas made it a thousand times better. Everything that was done over that period just made it so much less painful.”
Candlelighters CEO, Emily Wragg, says, “Being told your child has cancer is some of the most devastating news parents can receive. A range of support is needed to help families cope with not only the emotional impact but the practical and financial effects too, which can be far-reaching. Christmas can be an especially upsetting time for families as they see others making the most of the festivities, having fun and making happy memories. We want to make Christmas as special as possible for children with cancer and their families.”
To support children with cancer at Christmas this year, donate to Candlelighters via the Big Give from 3rd to 10th December and have your donation doubled. https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002TPV4WAAX