Helen on Maggie's offering a 'gentle escape' following her son's diagnosis

After visiting his GP for a second time, they noticed unusual sounds in his chest and referred him for a chest X-ray. The scan revealed a testicular germ cell tumour located in his chest cavity. Just two days later, Zac received a second devastating diagnosis: a rare form of leukaemia. At the time, doctors believed the two cancers were unrelated. It was an overwhelming and heartbreaking situation - two rare cancers, diagnosed in quick succession.

Everything changed so quickly. Just a day or two later, we travelled to Nottingham, which was over 70 miles away from home, to meet Zac’s consultant, and were introduced to a whole team of professionals including a social worker from Young Lives vs Cancer.

The social worker suggested we visit Maggie’s, located on the site of Nottingham City Hospital, knowing that Zac’s treatment would be based there even though we lived over 70 miles away. So, as a family, my husband, daughter, and I walked down to Maggie’s.

A warm welcome and gentle escape

When we got to Maggie’s, we were welcomed with warmth. A lovely woman took us into a quiet room and simply let us talk. Looking back, that moment meant everything. We were overwhelmed, and she gave us space to process, to speak, and to just be.

That was our first experience of Maggie’s, but certainly not the last. Zac’s treatment kept us in Nottingham for months. I stayed there solidly for three months, never returning home, sleeping on a couch in the Teenage Cancer Trust ward.

I remember walking into this beautiful building and being struck by the warmth of it all. There was a big, kitchen table in the centre, surrounded by comforting little touches, lovely coffee cups, soft lighting, and a sense of calm.

I could just walk in, make myself a coffee, breathe and have space away from the hospital. Even though we were still within the hospital grounds, it didn’t feel like I was in the hospital anymore.

Beautiful, welcoming, and supportive. I think these words just sum it up.

Zac was at Nottingham University, studying journalism, so when his university friends came to visit, it felt strangely fitting. Before I found Maggie’s, I’d wander around the hospital to give them space. I had nowhere else to go, no car, and it was October, cold and lonely outside. I’d often find myself sitting on a hospital bench, feeling isolated. Maggie’s helped me to overcome this.

There was always a smiling face, but never any pressure to talk or explain. I could just walk in, make a coffee, and sit quietly. I’d use their computer, sometimes I’d even do a bit of Christmas shopping as I wanted as much normality for our family. Life was still happening around us, and Maggie’s helped me hold onto that sense of normality, even in the most difficult moments.

Zac and Maggie’s

I was with Zac constantly, side by side for six months, and three of those were spent in a hospital room without going home. We were over 70 miles from home, and while my husband and daughter visited when they could, it was mostly just the two of us during the week.

Zac used to say to me, “Mum, go to Maggie’s.” At the time, I used to think he just wanted a break from me, but looking back, it was more than that. He knew we both needed space, and he wanted me to be somewhere safe. He knew that if I went to Maggie’s, I’d be okay. He knew where I was, and that I’d be looked after. That’s just who he was - a 20-year-old boy, stuck in an unimaginable situation, still thinking about his mum.

More than just support

We attended a bone marrow transplant training session at Maggie’s; it helped us to understand what Zac would be going through, and was especially useful for his sister as she was his bone marrow match. Zac was having treatment and confined to his room so couldn’t come. The session was informative, and the space made it easier for us to sit and listen to some harsh stuff and what lay ahead...

After we lost Zac, we had so many questions, things we needed to ask his consultant and the health professionals who had cared for him, but returning to the hospital was too painful. Zac’s consultant was incredibly kind and said, “I’ve got a room at Maggie’s, let’s meet there’’. It meant so much to have the conversation at Maggie’s. It was such an incredibly emotional time for us all.

New Maggie's centre in Northampton

Maggie’s Northampton has been so needed. In my role as a well-being and newly bereaved support worker, I support people whose loved ones are undergoing treatment or facing end of life. Having a space like Maggie’s to recommend will make such a difference. It offers a warm, welcoming environment where people can join a support group or simply find a moment of peace during long hospital days.

A message to anyone bereaved

I love my job, and I speak from lived experience. To anyone who has been bereaved, I’d say, take each day as it comes. That’s what my family and I do. We were incredibly lucky to have had Zac, and we try to live in a way that honours what he would have wanted for us. That’s what gets us out of bed each day and helps us carry on, even though life now looks very different.

We’re here with you

Our cancer support specialists, psychologists and benefits advisors are here for everyone with cancer, and all the people who love them. 

• Come and see us at your nearest Maggie’s
• Call us on 0300 123 180 or arrange a callback
• Email us at enquiries@maggies.org