“My daughter Teagan was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September 2024 when she was just five years old. We were referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and travelled from Ireland to GOSH for a stem cell transplant in January 2025, with Teagan spending 112 nights in GOSH in total.
“My husband and I rented a small apartment close to the hospital so we could be with her as much as possible during and after the transplant. Teagan spent most of the time isolated in her room with no visitors apart from us and the medical professionals. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy followed the transplant, along with huge side effects from the treatment which made Teagan incredibly unwell. She did brilliantly through it all, not missing one day of school or one physio session, but it was incredibly difficult and painful time.
“The impact on us as parents has been huge. Your world gets ripped from underneath you. You are in shock, going from one day to the next, looking for solutions and answers to try and get your child back to good health. There have been a lot of sleepless nights, worry and also guilt. Even though there’s nothing we could’ve done to prevent her illness, you can’t help but feel guilty about what your child is going through – the pain and stress of treatment. It is exhausting emotionally, and you find yourself living in a bubble of illness, treatment and hospital. One day you might feel good about next steps and what’s happening, the next, you’re sad, lost and worried. Teagan is only little and sometimes she would blame me for what was happening to her. It’s heartbreaking to see her so in pain.
“Meeting Spread a Smile has been wonderful. Since Taegan was admitted we’ve had the entertainers come to her room and sing to her. One of their artists also painted beautiful murals on her room windows. Teagan loved the singing and was so excited every time Spread a Smile visited. At one point she was dancing for them and it made such a difference, putting a smile on her face.
“It was such a treat for me to get invited to the Pamper Day in hospital. It was lovely to step away for a bit and just relax. After a night of very little sleep and not eating properly and all the stress, just having time for me – with no nurses, no beeping machines and no questions – was amazing. I was able to relax, find some peace, quiet and calm. It was a very special moment.
“As much as Taegan’s illness has taken from us, it’s changed our perspective on life completely. You realise what’s important more than ever before. Life is short and you never know what’s round the corner. We now live for the moment as much as possible and I can’t thank Spread a Smile enough for giving me time and space to just be me again for a short time.”
Please help ensure we can continue to support more families like Tarien’s by donating today. Thank you.