Today has been an incredibly exciting and emotional day for Milly’s Smiles!
Graeme and I set off bright and early for Cambridge, travelling down to deliver our very first Milly Bags to our 7th hospital, Addenbrooke’s Children’s Hospital. The journey was smooth, but the weather was varied, we began with torrential rain, snow, sleet and then as we approached Cambridge the sun finally came out to greet us!
As we arrived 2 lovely ladies from the Play Team were waiting to greet us, they both helped us load the trolley with the Milly Bags (and goodies for the nurses). Once on the ward we received a lovely welcome from Helen and her fabulous team on Ward C2.
All the staff were warm, engaged, and genuinely delighted to receive their Milly Bags. Seeing their enthusiasm and hearing how much these bags will mean to families, reinforced our drive to support as many families as we possibly can.
And for a little added joy… as we were chatting, one of the nurses overheard Graeme from the corridor and thought he was Peter Kay! Honestly, that absolutely made our day!
As we drove home, we couldn’t help but think about how far we’ve come. It’s almost 10 years since the very first Milly Bag went out. Back then, I was working from my dining room table, with all the stock crammed into my garage. I never imagined, not even for a moment, that we would grow into a charity supporting almost half the country’s children’s oncology wards.
To now be standing in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, delivering our Milly Bags filled with comfort, hope and love feels nothing short of incredible.
Every single Milly Bag carries a piece of Milly with it, and knowing that her light now reaches families in seven hospitals across England and Wales means everything to us.
We are so proud to be making a difference when families feel their world has collapsed and it is only possible because of the unbelievable support we receive.
Thank you to everyone for believing in us, walking with us, and helping Milly’s Smiles reach more families than we ever dreamed possible.
