“It meant everything to me to see them so happy and relaxed. Our routine had suddenly changed and we were at peace.”
Fathima's Story
Being on holiday had the greatest impact on my teenage son Lanny and my little three-year-old, Ubi.
Their brother Tobi is very unwell and it’s hard on them. Our lives revolve around hospital trips and we can rarely go anywhere or take a break.
But during the holiday, I saw a different Lanny. His confidence blossomed; he became bold. I hadn’t seen him like that in a long time. For Ubi, it was like stepping into a whole new world.
Tobi is 12 and has Takayasu arteritis, a type of vasculitis that causes inflammation in his blood vessels, damaging his large arteries.
It’s treatable but not curable. He’s had two major heart surgeries this past year and life has been so hectic. If Tobi has to go to the hospital, we all have to go.
We could be there for months at a time, with Lanny commuting from the hospital to his school. At one point, Tobi was going in every three days for blood transfusions and he missed three years of school.
When we found out that we were going on holiday to Clacton-on-Sea through Family Holiday Charity, it was a complete surprise and we were so excited! We even had a little dance in our kitchen.
We were so happy to hear it was near the sea. We all love the beach and it reminded us of our days in Ghana. We hugged each other as we started making plans.
I checked how far Clacton-on-Sea was from London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital by train, just to be sure we could get there quickly if we had to. That helped ease my mind.
Naturally, I was worried about Tobi. He uses a wheelchair and can’t run around or walk long distances and there’s always the fear his heart could fail at any time. He’s incredibly resilient, though - a little champion.
When we arrived at the holiday park, it felt surreal. I kept thinking, “Is this really us?” The boys were thrilled. Lanny dropped to the floor in the chalet and said: “Mumma, I don’t want to leave this place,” and Ubi echoed him with: “Me too, I don’t want to leave here.”
It meant everything to me to see them so happy and relaxed. Our routine had suddenly changed and we were at peace. That first night, we all slept deeply, the best sleep we’d had in ages. It felt like we had left our troubles behind.
We spent a magical day at the beach, walking barefoot on the sand. I felt like I could breathe again. It reminded us of our happy times by the sea in Ghana before we moved to the UK in 2018.
Lanny turned to me and said: “Mamma, this is one of my best days ever.” Ubi, looked up with a big smile, adding: “Mamma, this is the best day ever. We have to come back.”
On the way back from the beach we missed our stop on the train. But it didn’t matter; it was all part of the adventure. We enjoyed exploring a new town and stopping for an ice cream when Tobi felt tired. Back at the holiday park, we went to a Halloween disco which was such a lovely moment for us all.
In the chalet, the boys put down their phones and we chatted, played games and watched the view from the window. Just us, together, enjoying each other’s company.
I can only express my deepest gratitude to Family Holiday Charity for this precious time together, making memories that we’ll cherish forever.
When our holiday ended, Ubi cried, and none of us wanted to leave. For a few days, I forgot my worries and my anxiety and insomnia disappeared - I slept like a baby for four nights.