Isacc was born with a lymphatic malformation in his right leg, and after being put on long-term antibiotics, he enjoyed three years of stability and managed to avoid hospital. But when he came off the medication, things changed very suddenly. After several tests he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Niall, his dad, explains “He was immunosuppressed, which meant he pretty much lived in the hospital for three years with temperatures, pain and sickness. In between, we tried to keep things as normal as possible. Because we have two other children, one of us would stay with Isaac and the other would be at home with Riley and Scarlett.”

During this time Isaac suffered two episodes of septic shock, which led to the loss of his leg. It was during this time a support worker suggested Little Havens could help the family.

At first, Niall admits he wasn’t sure. “I’d heard of Little Havens but didn’t really know much about it…we just came for a wander around. The kids loved it – especially the garden. For us, it was so nice to see them just being ‘normal’.”“There’s so much space, wheelchair accessible equipment, and for the first time, we could let our guard down.”

Over the past two years, Little Havens has provided a safe space for the family. “For Isaac, it’s lovely because he doesn’t have other kids coming up to him asking questions. The children all play together, no matter their disabilities.”
“Coming gave us the comfort of knowing our children were enjoying themselves, while we had the safety of staff around if anything happened with Isaac.”

At Little Havens, the family didn’t feel judged or stared at. “We’d tried a couple of disability-friendly parks before, but often children would point out Isaac’s leg. Here, everyone is relaxed, and we don’t feel self-conscious. It’s exactly what we needed.”

“We’ve been to a lot of other medical environments that feel emotionless. Here, everyone cares. The staff want to be here, they talk to you and never judge. Places like this are vital for families like ours. They’ve kept us sane.”
In September 2024, after years of treatment, Isaac rang the bell to mark the end of his leukaemia treatment.

“He’s still on permanent antibiotics but finally able to live his life. He’s got his prosthetic leg and is doing really well. He’s back at school full-time, still has fatigue and some pain, but he manages it so well. He’s artistic, loves wrestling, Minecraft and swimming – and for someone missing a leg, he’s an adrenaline junkie! He loves a fast rollercoaster.”

The family say Little Havens has been a lifeline. “It helped us transition between hospital and home after Isaac’s amputation – a slow introduction back to reality.

“Our first soft play, first swimming, first days out all happened here.”

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Published in 2025