On 5th September, Ashley and her amazing team from Coptrim Ltd in Leeds took on an incredible challenge, walking from Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, where her son Tyler was diagnosed with cancer, to Leeds General Infirmary, where he received his treatment (and his Milly Bag).
Ashley wanted to give something back after the Milly Bag made such a difference to their family during Tyler’s hospital stay.
Graeme and I went down to meet the team as they set off on their epic 9-mile walk. Spirits were high, the sun was shining, and even the dogs joined in the fun!
We’re so happy to share that Tyler is doing really well now, which is absolutely wonderful news.
A huge thank you to Ashley, her colleagues at Coptrim Ltd, and everyone who supported the walk, your kindness helps us to continue to make a difference to families when they need it most.
When Fin was diagnosed with Lymphoma a few weeks ago, he received one of our Milly’s Smiles bags, his mum told us that it put a smile on his face after having a really tough few weeks.
During his treatment Fin has had some amazing support from his friends, and they decided to organise a charity walk from Fin’s school to Manchester Children’s Hospital which is around 5.3 miles! Fin wanted any monies raised to go to Milly’s Smiles as ‘the charity understands what we are going through and it is a chance for us to give a little something back’.
The boys met at school where they posed for some pre-walk photos, Fin’s best friend Bobby had said he wanted to do the walk in fancy dress but wanted Fin to choose his costume! Fin chose him a fabulous inflatable cow outfit, which Bobby wore for the whole walk!
On the day, the weather was absolutely dreadful but that didn’t stop them. Friends, family and supporters all turned up, full of energy and love, to walk alongside Fin’s friends and show their support.
Together, they have already raised an incredible £2,000 for Milly’s Smiles!
We’re so proud of Fin, his amazing friends, and his wonderful family, and we send Fin our love and very best wishes as he continues his treatment journey.
On 20th September, for Milly’s anniversary, our wonderful supporters Diane and Kevin took on a very special 5K challenge, walking the whole distance tied together as three legs! We loved this idea as soon as Diane mentioned it, and really… what could possibly go wrong?!
Starting from their home, the pair walked the full 5K tied together. Along the way they faced torrential downpours, but fortunately they had planned ahead with waterproof capes and fabulous rainbow umbrella hats, which looked amazing.
Cheered on by some brilliant supporters, Diane and Kevin carried a collection bucket, and together with their JustGiving page they have raised an incredible £1,000!
We are so proud of them, Diane, Kevin and their family have supported Milly’s Smiles for many years, and we feel so lucky to have them as part of our team.
Thank you, Diane and Kevin, for bringing so much fun, love and energy into everything you do for Milly’s Smiles.
Earlier this month, Belthorn Academy Primary School went all out to support Milly’s Smiles with their very own Go Gold Day for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
The children learned all about our Milly Bags during a special assembly, where our fabulous young supporter Evelyn shared a brilliant video explaining the contents of the bag and why they are so important. We are so proud of Evelyn and the time she gave to help others understand our work.
A very special moment came when one of Belthorn’s pupils, Imana, bravely stood up to share her own story. Imana received a Milly Bag a few years ago, and she proudly showed off her elephant and water bottle to everyone in assembly. We are so happy to say that Iman is doing really well.
Staff and pupils also brought in an amazing collection of toiletries for us, which will soon be packed into our next batch of Milly Bags.
Everyone looked fantastic in gold, we loved seeing all of the photographs from the day. .
A heartfelt thank you to Mr Carr for organising the day, to his daughter Evelyn for her incredible support, and to Imana for sharing her journey with such courage. Belthorn, you are all shining bright for Milly’s Smiles.
On Milly’s 10th anniversary, we asked if you would join us in remembering her by walking, running, or cycling 5K. Lots of you registered with us and on the day, despite the rain absolutely pouring down, you came out in force, and we were totally overwhelmed by the love and support shown for Milly.
From park runs to work runs, family walks to holiday swims, people took part all across the country (and even further afield!). We had families who have received Milly Bags join in by running their local park run, which absolutely meant so much to us.
Seeing everyone’s photos, smiles, soggy trainers and big hearts reminded us once again of the impact Milly’s life continues to have.
Thank you to everyone who braved the weather, who remembered Milly, and who stood with us on such a special day, you are all truly incredible people.
during September, and as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we shared “30 Days of Being an Oncology Mum”. an honest, heartfelt look at life during and after Milly’s diagnosis.
Each day, we shared a truth from our journey, from those first terrifying days in hospital, to the incredible support of play leaders, teachers and charities, to the reality of treatment, siblings, and sadly, bereavement.
Some days were deeply painful to write, others reminded us of the small moments of joy Milly brought even in the darkest times.
The campaign reached thousands of people and sparked conversations about childhood cancer, a subject that is often hidden, but one that so many families live with every single day.
We talked about:
The shock of diagnosis and the collapse of family life as you knew it
The roles of doctors, nurses, play leaders, teachers, and volunteers
The impact on parents, siblings, and extended family
The importance of charities and community support
The heartbreaking truth that not every child survives
And the enduring legacy of Milly, whose light continues through Milly’s Smiles.
We are proud to have shared these 30 truths. Our hope was to raise awareness, encourage understanding, and give a voice to families like ours. The feedback has been incredible, so many people told us how much it opened their eyes, touched their hearts, and helped them better understand what families face.
This campaign was not easy. Reliving each moment was painful, but it was also healing. And most importantly, it ensured that Milly’s story continues to be told, and that families facing childhood cancer are seen and heard.
This is why we do what we do. This is Milly’s legacy. This is her smile, still shining.
A huge thank you to our friends at Cranberry Coachways, who dedicated their weekend at the recent Transport Event in Great Harwood to raising money for Milly’s Smiles.
The team worked so hard running a raffle, “Guess the Name of the Bear,” and a tombola, and together they raised an incredible £396.00 !
We are so grateful for the amazing support and kindness shown by Cranberry Coachways, and we’re proud to be part of such a generous community. We can’t wait to continue working with them in the future.
From the bottom of our hearts, a massive thank you to everyone who supported them and to the team for working so hard for us.
Last week we delivered another batch of Milly Bags to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where we were warmly met by Louise, the ward housekeeper, who helped us take the bags up to the ward.
This delivery takes us past a very special milestone, Alder Hey has now received 510 Milly Bags since we began working with them. That’s 510 families who’ve arrived on the ward on one of the hardest days of their lives and been met with a Milly Bag offering comfort, understanding and love.
Behind every number is a child, a family, a story. And thanks to your support, each of those families has felt the impact of Milly’s Smiles at the moment their world changed forever.
Back in August, the Lancashire Volunteer Police Cadets from the Pendle Unit laced up their walking boots and took on a 10-mile sponsored walk. Setting off from Burnley Enterprise Park, they followed the canal all the way to Cut Lane in Rishton, a route filled with laughter, teamwork, and an odd blisters along the way!
Their determination and energy paid off in the best way, raising an incredible £645 (with more still to come in!) for Milly’s Smiles. Every penny will go towards supporting families on the toughest of journeys, making a difference at the very moment their world has been turned upside down.
A huge thank you to the cadets for their amazing effort, and to everyone who supported them.
Sometimes, the smaller things are the ones that mean the most….
Back in August, Graeme and our young volunteer Ben delivered 20 Milly Bags to Ward 86 at The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Our bags are so much more than just the items inside, they offer a hug and an awareness for parents that someone understands exactly what they are going through, a reminder to families that they are not alone.
This delivery was extra special as Ben, who has volunteered at our annual Spring Fairs, joined Graeme on the journey. From loading the van to making sure every single bag reached the ward safely, he was an absolute superstar.
A huge thank you to Graeme, Ben, and to every single person who supports us in so many ways, donating, volunteering, attending our events, or sharing our posts.
Because of you all we are able to continue making a difference every single day.
