Our Pal - Chloe G

Story written 2006

Chloe was diagnosed with ALL on the 20th of May 2005. Five weeks previous to this she had woken in the middle of the night screaming with pain in her lower back, which was very frightening, and so we took her straight to A&E. They gave her lots of pain relief but were unable to find a reason for it so we were sent home. We made several return trips to A&E over the next few weeks as Chloe was clearly not right. Normally a really happy and bright little girl, she was often in pain, tired and general not herself so eventually she was admitted onto the children’s ward for blood tests. That evening the consultant led us away from Chloe to a private room to tell us that they believed Chloe had leukaemia and would be transferred to London for further tests to confirm this on Monday. It was impossible to describe the devastation that we felt – it simply breaks your heart. We hoped that they could be wrong and it was an agonising wait until the Tuesday for the diagnosis to be confirmed.

Chloe started chemotherapy treatment immediately and the nightmare of what was ahead really hit us. To hold your sobbing child while needles are inserted and general anaesthetics given, to try to force her to take endless tablets and to simply try to explain to your beautiful little girl why all of this is happening to her is horrifying.

But Chloe is truly amazing child and her strength and determination have amazed everyone who knows her. She tries very hard to be brave, even when she is very scared and we are so proud of her. Five weeks after her diagnosis, having had a lumber puncture, bone marrow test, portocath fitted and chemotherapy four days beforehand, she took part in cancer research race for life and managed to walk 1KM before we carried her the other 4KM to the finish. She was adamant she wanted to take part, no matter what we said, and we know that it is this stubborn determination that will get her through this.

She has had a traumatic nine months, including spending Christmas in hospital with pneumonia, and will not finish treatment until September 2007. Despite all this she is still full of smiles and giggles on good days and brings joy into the lives of everyone she knows.

Story update 2007

Chloe joined postpals in Feb 2006 and at this time had been receiving various forms of chemotherapy treatment since May 2005, when she was diagnosed with leukaemia. She has had many ups and downs over 2006 which have included hospital stays and the terrible side effects that come from chemo but she continues to amaze everyone who knows her with her courage and determination to live life. She has faced so much, and continues to do so but never complains. She is a very special little girl who will always bring a smile to your face.

Update 17th February 2008

First of all I have to apologise for the delay in updates. As usual time just runs away!!

Chloe and Charlie had a lovely Christmas and many, many thanks for all the wonderful cards and gifts that they received. A special thanks to Liz Cook, Jane and Kat, Jenny, Julie, Viks and Hayley. The children were thrilled with everything they received and so much thought had obviously been put into what was sent.  

January has been a bit of a low month for Chloe as she has struggled to recover from the bug she picked up just before Christmas but is now bright and well. She is about to begin her childhood reimmunisations (more needles!) but it is essential that these are done.

It seems only right that at this time Chloe should now become “moved on”. She has loved being part of Post Pals and we can never thank people enough for all they have done for her and Charlie. So many people have taken the time to lift her spirits on darker days and I hope they know how much that has meant. Every card, letter and postcard has been kept and she has a very impressive box of them. I hope that we have made some friends for life through Post Pals!

She has now been chemo free for more than six months and, as each day passes, we see a little more of the little girl she was before leukaemia became part of her life. She is changing in appearance quite dramatically – gaining height and losing the steroid weight, but in character she continues to be stubborn and determined, taking on too much to the point of leaving herself exhausted, but we gave up trying to stop her a long time ago!! She is a girl who knows her own mind and who are we to tell her otherwise!

Thank you so much to everyone who has been part of Chloe’s journey.

Update 21st December 2007

We would like to wish all the wonderful Post Pals team, the Pals and families and all the kind people who send smiles to Chloe and Charlie, a really wonderful and peaceful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

Chloe has had a nasty bug this week (which we now all have) which was difficult as we were at Euro Disney! However, with the help of paracetomol and Chloe being a trooper, we still had a lovely time and hopefully we will all be fully recovered by Christmas.

The children are getting excited, especially with the arrival of post pals gifts and cards and they are all under the tree ready for the big day.

Christmas Day will mark exactly five months since Chloe’s last chemotherapy and, although we still worry, it is wonderful for her to be able to fight off these bugs on her own with no hospital involved!!

Update 3rd November 2007

This month we have really noticed an improvement in Chloe’s energy level, which has been wonderful to see. We took the children to the Science Museum/ Natural History Museum and then on to Hyde Park and at no point did Chloe show any signs of being tired or complain of pain in her legs. It sounds like a very small thing, but for such a long time any kind of activity like this would have reduced Chloe to a wheelchair or being carried. Darren and I sat in the park at the end of the day watching the children play and it really felt like a turning point and we both felt emotional. We have our Chloe back and we hope so much that her life will now be the same as any other 9 year old, she so deserves it.

The Pride of Britain Awards were simply amazing and Chloe did so well. It was a very daunting experience for her going on stage in front of all those people but, anyone who saw it, will have seen Chloe as she pretty much always is, giggling!! It was three days full of wonderful memories and a truly surreal experience.

Thank you so much to post pals for always being there to support Chloe. Special thanks to Katie for the beautiful fairy book, I can’t imagine how long it took to make! Thanks also to everyone who has sent congratulations cards and messages to Chloe. Thanks you for my parcel too, which was a complete surprise, and very, very thoughtful.

Update 8th October 2007

Chloe has been generally keeping well over the last month apart from the dreaded skin problems. Two weeks ago she had the operation to remove her portacath so she is finally needle free. It is fantastic to see her with energy and enjoying life.

We have had an amazing secret for the last month and are finally able to say that Chloe has won a PRIDE OF BRITAIN AWARD!! We are off to London in a couple of hours for three days and are all very excited (and very nervous!) Chloe was chosen as the Fundraiser of the Year and we are so proud of her. It is not really about the amount of money that she has raised, but how determined she was to take part in Race for Life twice despite how ill she was. The awards will be shown on ITV on Wednesday 10th October at 9pm and I think there will be a write up in the daily mirror in the next couple of days.

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who continues to support Chloe, Charlie and us and we will be thinking of all the children at Post Pals when Chloe receives her award.

Update 24th August 2007

We have had a pretty busy summer since Chloe’s treatment ended, so apologies that Chloe is still sending birthday thank you’s out rather late!

The last day of treatment coincided with the last day of school, which was also Charlie’s last day at primary school. He won the Head Teachers Award, which is the best award the school presents to a year 6 pupil for outstanding effort and achievement and his head teacher said some really lovely things about him. It was a very emotional day, all in all, and we were just full of pride for both of our children and what they have achieved, despite all they have had to cope with over the last two years.

The first week of the summer holiday we spent at Crowhurst Park near Hastings and had a lovely relaxing week. It is a really beautiful place and there are plenty of children there, so Chloe and Charlie had a great week building dens and having mud fights (hence, lots of clothes went in the bin!!) They had so much fun that it was impossible to be cross and it was just lovely to see them having fun together.

The second week Chloe and I went to Butlins with my family, as Charlie was at camp with the scouts for the week and Butlins is Daddy’s worst nightmare! We had a fun time dancing etc, having very late nights and spending Daddy’s money! We were truly shattered by the time we got home!

Chloe was definitely on a high for those first two weeks energy wise, but she is suffering very badly with a “coming off chemo rash” all over her face and upper body. Along with that, she has very bad infected molluscum on her face too. Bless her, it is all very sore and does not look pretty. She has over 80 molluscum on her face alone. We have been at the Marsden this week to see her consultant and a dermatologist and have come away with a very large bag of medications to try and help, but it could be months before all this settles down. She has also had an eye infection which left her with swollen eyes that were completely bloodshot, so we are applying eye drops too. Of course all this is minor compared to chemotherapy, but it is frustrating as it is so visible and means Chloe has to put up with lots of comments from other children. I know she is going to have a tough time when she goes back to school with this.

Life feels very strange at the moment as we are all adjusting to life without the chemo and we are full of mixed emotions, but we are just taking each day as it comes. As always, we are so grateful to everyone who has sent cards and gifts to Chloe and Charlie. The sunflowers from Kat were absolutely beautiful and Chloe wore her “I kicked cancer’s butt” t- shirt with pride and sang the “no mo chemo song” down the phone to her auntie and cousin! Thank you Viks.

Update 21st July 2007

Chloe was discharged from hospital in time for her birthday, which was a lovely day. We went to London to the Amazing Great Children’s Party which is put on by Children with Leukaemia and Chloe and Charlie had lots of fun. The Race for Life was postponed because of the weather (no surprise!) so Chloe had a couple of extra weeks to recover from her hospital stay and her LAST intravenous chemo before she took part, which was better for her.

We did the Race last Sunday and she was fantastic. As she started the Race as Cancer Research’s guest of honour, we were at the very back of 2000 women, but there was no way Chloe was finishing last this time! I think excitement and adrenalin kicked in and she was literally running it, weaving her way through all the people. She was absolutely shattered at the end but very, very pleased with herself, especially as she crossed the line before mummy and her aunties! Three days before this she was at the Marsden having her last bone marrow aspirate and lumbar puncture so it really was a huge effort for her. She has raised lots of money for Cancer Research and we are still collecting it in so a huge thank you to anyone who sponsored her. She really did earn every penny.

This coming Wednesday, the 25th, will see Chloe take her last dose of oral chemotherapy and on Thursday we will be at the local hospital for her last pentamidine, which will end her treatment. It has been a long, long journey but throughout Chloe has been an absolute star. Her consultant has discussed many scenarios of what may happen now with us and I think it will be a long time before we truly relax with Chloe, if ever, but we are excited at the prospect of seeing our beautiful daughter recover from what her body has been subjected to, and to have the luxury of simply being like other children again. For Chloe it will mean no more weekly blood tests (after more than two years she is still terrified of the needle), no more tablets to swallow everyday that stick in her throat, no more intravenous chemo that makes her so ill that she can’t go to school and do the things that she loves, like ballet and no more hospital stays. She will be seen every six weeks for check ups and she is also having an echocardiogram in August to check for any damage to her heart that the chemo may have done. At some point she will also have an operation to remove her portacath but there is a waiting list for this so we do not know when yet!

Thank you to everyone at postpals who have supported Chloe, Charlie and us through all of this. Often, on the days when we have all been struggling, a card from someone we do not know has arrived and it has made such a difference to know that there are so many people out there thinking of Chloe and wishing her well.

Update 30th June 2007

Just a quick update to say that Chloe has been in hospital since Wednesday spiking temperatures of 40.7. They are going to let her go to the Race for Life tomorrow assuming her temperature stays down and we are hoping to be discharged Monday. It’s so annoying to be so near the end of treatment and still Chloe is putting up with so much.

Update 12th June 2007

Chloe is having a rough time since her last iv chemo last Tuesday. By now we would expect to see her picking up but this morning she woke up and was violently sick. She has been clammy with shakes, but her temperature has stayed normal so we are assuming she has picked up something on top of the side effects of the chemo. She had her bloods done today, as she does every Tuesday, so I am hoping she will not be neutropenic. If she were, the hospital would most likely want her in to have a look at her, which tends to turn into “we’ll keep her in to keep an eye on her”.

We are so near the end of treatment now, only six and a half weeks to go, but in truth it is hard to feel any sense of excitement about this at the moment. Chemotherapy is like a monster that you have to inflict on your child in order to fight off the bigger monster that is cancer. It’s a hard place to be, no matter where you are in the journey.

Thank you so much for all that Post Pals does. We have been privileged to make friends with some wonderful people through Post Pals and their support of Chloe, Charlie and ourselves has been amazing. Kat, you truly are a star. Viks, Kate, you work so hard for all the children and to everyone behind the scenes; we are forever indebted to you for bringing those smiles to Chloe, especially on the days when nothing else could.

I’d also like to say thank you to Jenny, Hayley, Katie, Tara, Judith, Leslie and Susanna – thank you all for the sunshine you bring to Chloe’s cloudy days. She and Charlie get so much pleasure from all your kindness.

Update 16th May 2007

Chloe is off school at the moment due to the effects of iv chemo and steroids. She told me she feels so fed up and as steroids cause depression, I suppose this is what she is experiencing, along with the pains and aches of chemo.

She has been asked by Cancer Research UK to be their guest of honour at our local Race for Life in July and start the race, which she is very excited about. She will also be taking part with a little team, although it will definitely be a slow walk rather than a race, as 5km is a long way for Chloe. Last time Chloe took part in Race for Life, it was five weeks after her diagnosis and turned out to be a very traumatic experience – there is a full story on Chloe’s sponsor page if anyone wants to read it. The address is www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/chloesteam. She has been in the local paper this week to get publicity for Cancer Research and hopefully some sponsors. She totally takes it in her stride (unlike mummy, who gets very nervous). Fingers crossed that she will be well on the day.

Thank you so much to Jenny and Kat, you are both so kind. Also to Hayley, who takes so much time to write letters to Chloe. Thanks to Kate for Charlie’s Dr Who card, which he is mad on and thank you to everyone who takes the trouble to send emails and cards – it is always appreciated. Also, thank you to whoever sent me the gifts from John Lewis – there is no name with them, but it was lovely and totally unexpected.

Update 3rd April 2007

Chloe has had a good month managing school every day for the last three weeks. She is still having lower doses of chemo which is probably why she has more energy than normal, but it’s lovely to see her being able to swim and go to ballet, which she absolutely loves. We are now counting down the months to the end of treatment!!

Update 4th March 2007

Chloe spent a week in hospital this month on iv antibiotics. She took oral antibiotics for ten days but the day after they finished she spiked a temperature and was clearly not well so was admitted. She was also in extreme pain this month from the iv chemo and so was given morphine in hospital to cope with it.

She has been back at school this week and is bright despite very low blood counts. Her counts are so affected by the oral chemo that she has had many weeks now where she has been unable to take it, which is a concern, but we are at the Marsden this week and so will be discussing this with her consultant.

Special thanks to Jenny, Kat, Kate, Hayley and Julie – your kindness is always appreciated.

Update 13th February 2007

Chloe got off to a pretty bad start in the New Year by catching chickenpox. So much for having immunity to it! She was in hospital for six days on the iv aciclivor that they give to reduce the effects and then had it orally for five days as well. As her temperature was spiking they also gave her iv antibiotics. To add to the stress, this all happened a couple of days before Charlie took his 11+ so he was a very upset little boy, coping with exams, his mummy at the hospital and a sick sister. Between Darren and I, we juggled hospital overnight stays to try and reassure Charlie and show him he is just as important as Chloe, but it was a very difficult week emotionally to say the least.

Perhaps this is not the place to say it, but I’m sure that any parent who has a child with cancer that also has other children, knows the awfulness of feeling that you are letting your healthy child down by focusing so much on your sick child. It is very hard to not feel that you are failing them, and yet, you have absolutely no control over the situation. I think that week we felt it as a family more than ever.

At the moment Chloe has a chest infection and is on oral antibiotics. Her blood counts were better this week, so despite spiking temps, we are still at home and hoping to stay here!!

Update 31st December 2006

Chloe managed to keep well for Christmas and we had a lovely time. The children were totally spoilt with lovely gifts from post pals and family. We had a slight hiccup when my niece came out in chicken pox three days before Christmas meaning Chloe had to be tested for antibodies, as they had been together all week. Chicken pox is a huge issue for immuno suppressed children, but thankfully Chloe does have antibodies, saving her from an unpleasant injection. It meant not being able to spend Christmas with family, which Chloe was upset about, but at least she was well. Hopefully as she has antibodies she will not come out in chicken pox but I have been told this is not a guarantee, so we will soon know by the end of this week.

Chloe had iv chemo the day after boxing day (postponed from the previous week to try and keep her well for Christmas) and has had a rough week with side effects but it is one more dose to cross off!!

We wish everyone a happy new year and say a MASSIVE thank you for all the lovely things the children received. Many thanks to Judith, Julie, Peter, Jenny, Viks, Hayley, Georgie’s Fund and a very special thank you to Kat, who was the children’s elf. The parcel she sent was amazing and so thoughtful, especially as Kat is not well herself.

Update 3rd December 2006

Chloe came out of hospital after seven days and, touch wood, has got through this week with no cough or temperature for the first time in nearly three months! She had iv chemo on Tuesday, which had been postponed from the previous week because she was too ill, but she has really fought hard to get to school this week to not miss out on any activities. We will be at the Royal Marsden Hospital on Wednesday for Chloe to have a lumber puncture and intrathecal chemo and to see the consultant.

Chloe and Charlie are getting very excited about Christmas and we hope so much that she will stay well this year as last year was so awful, with Chloe in hospital with pneumonia for the whole of Christmas.

Thank you so much for all the lovely post that the children continue to receive. Chloe has had so much support through postpals and, as her parents; it lifts our hearts too to know there are so many kind people wishing her well. Thanks to Amy (Jack M’s mum) Hayley, Jenny, Julie, Alan, Katie, Laura and Chris, Viks, Kate, Kat, Cherie and all those special people who make a difference, and huge thanks to Becky Basanda who sent an amazing parcel from America and Glenda and the lovely children, whose gifts arrived yesterday, causing much excitement.

Update 21st November 2006

Chloe did fantastic in her Gala – 2 silver medals and 1 bronze. She was amazing and really deserved to do well, especially as she is now back in hospital with a u.t.i. and chest infection, spiking very high temperatures.

Update 18th November 2006

Chloe was in hospital last week for a few days with a temperature. As her neutrophil count was very low i.e. she has no immune system, she is given intravenous antibiotics to fight the infection that her body can’t. In herself she has remained quite bright, but still has the dreaded cough which everyone seems to have at the moment, that just will not go. Chloe would like to write something herself so here it is!

Yesterday i went to my cousins birthday party at the captin digby and i dressed as belle. Tonight i am going to swim in my swimming clubs gala and these are the races i am doing: 25m backstroke, 25m freestyle and the 25m family race which i am doing with my brother and my daddy but mummy is going to watch and cheer me on. Thank you to everybody who sends me things and who e-mails me. I am making thank you’s to send.

Chloe is unable to swim very much anymore due to her low blood counts and often being unwell but despite this she wants to swim in the gala. She knows she is likely to come last but is determined to have a go and this says so much about Chloe. She is such a fighter and we are so proud and inspired by her determination.

Update 7th October 2006

Chloe has had a very mixed month health wise. She has had some kind of bug which made her very sick and then in the last week was not great with her iv chemo and had bad side effects from coming off her steroids. I know when she is feeling really bad as she generally never complains, but last week when she was in a lot of pain she said “its not fair mummy”. This is about the most you will ever hear her say when she is really fed up with it all. Thankfully she seems to have improved in the last few days and the smiles are back.

Her brother has been unwell over the last couple of days with a high temperature, so we are crossing everything that she doesn’t catch it, as it would mean hospital for her. She already has a very nasty chesty cough. They have only been back at school 3 weeks and already the bugs are about!!

On a much brighter note Chloe did have a pretty amazing experience last weekend as she got to meet Kylie Minogue!! She entered a competition on Newsround to go to Kylie’s book signing in Oxford Street and she won!!!! They had 100 places so she was very lucky and it had nothing to do with her illness. She was not feeling too well but there was no way she was not going! She had her copy of The Showgirl Princess signed and a photo with Kylie. Kylie told her she looked very pretty, which was nice. As Kylie was diagnosed a couple of weeks before Chloe it all felt a bit ironic them meeting. The first time Chloe had to have a blood transfusion, a couple of days after finding out about the leukemia, she was absolutely distraught and terrified. To try and make it better I said “you never know, it might be someone famous blood” and she said “as long as it’s not Kylie’s as she’s got cancer”. At that time she knew that she had leukemia but not that it was a form of cancer. It was a heartbreaking moment for me, said in such innocence, so it was lovely to see them together 17 months later. It’s funny how life works sometimes.

Thank you to all those special people who have sent cards, letters, postcards, emails and gifts to Chloe this month. I apologize if she has not gotten back to you yet, especially to Hayley, who takes so much time and effort with her letters, it has been one of those months!

Update 12th September 2006

Chloe has had more energy over the summer holidays than we have seen her have since before she was diagnosed. It has been so lovely to see her able to ride her bike and really have fun with friends. We do not know if this is because she has not been at school or whether her body is maybe coping with the chemo better, but whichever, it has felt like we have had the “old” Chloe back.

The intravenous chemo and steroids are still making her feel bad but this month the effects only lasted about eight days, which is a big improvement. We went to Wales at the end of August and had a really great holiday. This week she is due in London for her chemo via lumbar puncture and then her next IV chemo is on 26th September, so fingers crossed she will cope well again. She is such a star; we are incredibly proud of her.

Thank you so much to everyone who has sent a card, letter or gift to Chloe this month. Thanks to Hayley for her lovely letters, Julie and Alan, Viks, Kat, Katie, Nicky, Kate, Judith, Becky, Charlotte and Maddy, Cherie and all the people from the Cardmaking Forum Raker who have sent such beautiful cards. They must have taken ages to make. Many thanks also for the post that is sent to Charlie.

Update 4th August 2006

Chloe received so many lovely birthday cards and gifts. Special thanks to Julie, Nicky, Viks, Kate, Cherie, Laura and everyone who takes time to write to her and Charlie. She is still sending her own thank you’s but likes to make them so I’m afraid it is a slow process!

We had a really lovely time at EuroDisney and Chloe was treated like a princess, thanks to the Christian Lewis Trust, who made the arrangements for us. They make the hotel booking and arrange a special blue badge for Chloe that means we did not have to queue for any rides and all the staff go out of their way to give her (and us) a truly special holiday. It was very emotional at times, and difficult not to worry, especially when Chloe was very sick on our second day, but we are so glad that we decided to go. It was wonderful to see her so happy and all the characters made a bee line for her, cuddling and blowing her kisses. Mary Poppins, who Chloe loves, gave her a ‘special’ nod and Minnie Mouse twirled with her and made her feel so important in front of all the other children. It truly is a magical place.

Unfortunately reality is never far away and the iv chemo was given the day after we got back but we had an extra, extra special treat that night as we took her to see Westlife, and thanks to her Uncle Paul, Chloe was invited backstage to meet them!! All in all it was quite a week.

The chemo did it’s usual, making her feel so bad after, but for Chloe now it is just her ‘normal’ to feel so ill. That, in itself, makes me want to cry but it certainly doesn’t beat Chloe. She shows us month on month how strong willed she is and she always amazes us. This month she was awarded the endeavor award at her ballet awards night and it was lovely to see her collect it on the stage. I don’t think she realises how much people admire her, to her she just gets on with life, no matter what that brings.

Update 2nd July 2006

Chloe has been much the same this month. She is unwell and off school when she has the intravenous chemo, and then after about seven days she starts to feel better. She suffers a lot with headaches and nausea throughout the rest of the month, but the anti sickness medication helps a lot. Unfortunately, the doctors have said that all children react differently with the side effects of treatment and Chloe’s headaches and nausea are her body’s reaction.

It’s very hard seeing her not herself on so many days, but she tries really hard to be a normal seven year old in public and put on a brave face. She is very conscious of being different to her friends in what she can do physically. It is at home that we see how hard a toll the treatment takes on her, but she is learning to try and save her energy for the things she really wants to do.

We are going to Euro Disney tomorrow for four days and are crossing everything that she will stay well. She and her brother are excited and she will be celebrating her 8th birthday while we are there. It will be a very emotional holiday I expect!

Many, many thanks to everyone who continues to send Chloe such lovely cards and gifts. It is obvious that people make such an effort and your kindness is so appreciated by us all.

Update 6th June 2006

Chloe has been unwell with the IV chemo this month and this does seem to be forming a pattern now. It is given every 4 weeks and she has to take steroids for a few days after. The combination of the two is taking it out of her for about 7-10 days. Her vision is being affected, which we will query at the end of the month when she is due at the Royal Marsden and she is very tired with bad nausea and headaches. For the other two weeks she is relatively ok and able to go to school. Thank you to everyone who has sent Chloe post, it always brings excitement and a smile!

Update 1st May 2006

A huge thank you to everybody who has taken the time to write to Chloe. It’s been very exciting for her and has given her lots of smiles. We have been truly amazed at how kind so many people have been and special thanks to Julie, Post Pals, Kate, Cherie, Nicky – you are all wonderful!

Chloe has now gone into the maintenance part of her treatment which will last for the next 16 months. This consists of:

• Daily chemotherapy tablets
• Weekly another type of chemotherapy tablet to protect her brain
• Weekly antibiotics
• Weekly blood tests
• 4 Weekly intravenous chemotherapy
• 4 Weekly 5 days of steroids
• 12 Weekly bone marrow aspirate to check levels of disease
• 12 Weekly lumbar puncture to administer chemotherapy

Unfortunately all of these bring lots of unpleasant side effects but Chloe is very determined to do as much as she possibly can. She has been able to go to school in the last couple of weeks which really cheered her up and despite getting physically tired very quickly, has even managed to go swimming and to ballet. She has an amazing spirit and we are so proud of her. She has loved all her post and emails and is very excited when she receives something so thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to contact her!

Update 2nd March 2006

Thank you so much for the post that has been sent to Chloe. She has been in hospital for a few days and it was lovely for her to receive the cards. It has caused quite a bit of excitement and I just wanted to thank you for bringing smiles to her days.