Pontefract family urges people to support ‘double donation’ scheme for children’s cancer charity this Christmas
A Pontefract 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 from today, December 3 until December 10 and donations can be doubled during this time, so whatever people give will have twice the impact.
Parents Charlotte and Josh Breeden 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 three.
She spent last Christmas in hospital.
For the first time, this year the charity is taking part in the UK’s biggest matched funding campaign - the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Donations made to Candlelighters 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.
Nevaeh spent over a month in hospital around Christmas 2023, including Christmas Day.
Josh said: “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.
“Having the support of Candlelighters at Christmas made it a thousand times better,” Josh said.
“Everything that was done over that period just made it so much less painful.”
Candlelighters CEO, Emily Wragg, said: “Being told your child has cancer is some of the most devastating news parents can receive.
"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 December 3-10, and have your donation doubled.