Mother reflects on difference that Fisher House has made to her family
Ciaran Daniel was diagnosed with leukaemia on 1 January 2019, whilst serving in the Royal Navy, on HMS Dragon, whilst alongside in Dubai undertaking a range of work including anti-smuggling operations. Ciaran had shown no signs of being unwell, until he spotted some blood in his urine and presented himself to the doctor on board the ship.
The doctor sent him for tests at a hospital in Dubai, and he was then evacuated to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for urgent treatment, arriving on 4 January.
In the five months since his diagnosis, Ciaran has celebrated his 20th birthday, and has received specialist treatment for his rare form of leukaemia, known as B-type acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Ciaran’s parents, Jill and Paul, live just outside Hull, East Yorkshire with Ciaran’s brother Connor. When they received the call to say that Ciaran had been diagnosed with leukaemia and was to be flown to Birmingham for treatment, it came as a huge shock to them. The couple weren’t aware that they could stay in Fisher House, the home away from home for military patients and their families, which has provided free accommodation for forces families since 2013.
Jill said: “We weren’t aware of Fisher House before, the day that it all transpired we got the phone calls and were in contact with the Royal Navy and they said that they would meet us at Fisher House.
“I was panicking, thinking that I was going to have to find somewhere near to the hospital, on a bus route. It was a great surprise for us when we found out about it.”
Jill and Paul, who both served in the Royal Navy and met at the Northwood base in 1991, have stayed at Fisher House since Ciaran’s diagnosis. Jill said: “Either myself or Paul have been staying at Fisher House since Ciaran was admitted, always making sure that one of us is with him in case he’s ill.”
Speaking of Fisher House, Jill said: “The house itself is amazing, we could not have asked for more. When Ciaran was on the ward he was able to come and have tea with us, if he was well-enough, and being so close to the hospital means that if he’s taken ill he can be back on the ward in no time at all.
“The house has been a god-send; just walking in for the first time was incredible. We’ve got to know so many people from around the world who have been staying here, and we’ve got to know a few people who are going through similar treatments, which is really important.
“It’s been great for Ciaran too, as he’s been able to talk to people in the forces who have been going through similar treatments. The community feel is amazing.
“For me, it’s the small things, like people sharing their breakfast items if you’ve run out of something, or joining someone for a glass of wine in the evenings after I’ve come back from the ward. You’re able to detach from the hospital environment.”
Ciaran is receiving his treatment on the Teenage Cancer Trust Young Person’s Unit at the hospital; a specialised ward that treats teenagers and young adults aged 16-24. After spending the initial 47 days of his treatment on the ward, Ciaran is now staying at Fisher House, heading up to the ward almost daily for his treatment. At weekends, Ciaran has sometimes been able to return home.
Speaking of the reaction that the family’s friends and relatives have had to Fisher House, Jill said: “Everyone who has come to see us at Fisher House has immediately wanted to fundraise to support it. One of Paul’s friends from the Navy is running the Cardiff half marathon for Fisher House, and a team from Paul’s work at BT are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge in June.”
Ciaran’s friends and colleagues from HMS Dragon raised almost £5,000 for Fisher House, inspired by Ciaran’s time at the house.
Ciaran’s prognosis is positive, and he is about to start a new round of treatment which will last until September. After this, Jill hopes that he will only need monthly treatments, meaning that the family can return home. She said:
“Hopefully we will only need to travel down for one night at a time, so we can get back to normal life at home, but it’s wonderful knowing that Fisher House is there and waiting for us.”
“We have been very fortunate”, Jill said, “Ciaran’s consultant was keen for him to continue his treatment here at the Queen Elizabeth as he felt we would receive the best care here, and without Fisher House it wouldn’t have been possible to spend time with him.
“We just couldn’t have done it, if you think of the cost of renting a flat it just wouldn’t have worked. We spoke to Patrick at Fisher House and he said that we could stay for as long as we needed to.”
Looking to the future, Ciaran is hoping to go back to his job in the Royal Navy after his treatment. It was a lifelong ambition of Ciaran’s to follow in his parents’ footsteps and join the Navy.
Jill said: “He knew he could apply when he was 15 years and 9 months old, and he asked me to help with his application. I didn’t think he’d get in straight away but within just a few months he’d been accepted! Paul and I are incredibly proud of him.”
Fisher House relies entirely on your donations to support families just like Ciaran’s, speaking of the difference Fisher House makes, Jill said: “I would encourage people to donate what they can. Fisher House is an incredible place and I don’t know what we would have done without it. We’ll be forever grateful for what it has done for our family.”
Each year, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity supports Fisher House by donating £20,000 to fund two bedrooms for the year. Justine Davy, Head of Fundraising at QEHB Charity, said: "We are so grateful to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity for their continued support of Fisher House. It is thanks to them that families such as the Daniels have a place to stay right here at QEHB, for as long as they need to."