Faye’s Story

Faye Edwards and her son Thomas, 10, have faced an incredibly challenging time since Thomas’ dad, Jon, was diagnosed with stage 4 skin cancer in 2024. Although they had separated before the diagnosis, Faye and Jon remained committed to co-parenting Thomas. With Thomas struggling emotionally with the new changes to his home life following the divorce, Faye knew they needed some support to face the new challenge of cancer in their family.

“I felt like telling Thomas his dad was really unwell would set him back further and I was really undecided about the best thing to do.  I knew I needed some expert advice and knowledge from someone who had experience in this area. I never thought we would have to face something like this. There’s no guidebook for talking to kids about things like cancer.”

Having seen the support Cavendish Cancer Care provided to a friend’s family, Faye reached out for help. After a conversation with Claire, Head of Children’s Services at Cavendish, they decided Thomas should begin sessions of play therapy, with a parent support session for Faye and Jon individually beforehand.

“It was a relief just to start working with the team at Cavendish,” remembers Faye. “Claire’s initial advice about how to talk to the school was incredibly helpful and when our play sessions started with the therapist, I was so impressed how skillful the therapist was. To Thomas it was play, to me I could see her building his trust, helping him express his emotions and feel safe’.

“Thomas enjoyed the sessions from the first appointment and looked forward to going,” Faye recalled. “It really helped him feel heard. It also helped me to see things from his point of view as a 10-year-old child.”

The welcoming atmosphere at Cavendish was a big comfort. “Before the therapy started Thomas was a little worried, so the team took time to send some photos and allow us a look round before the sessions started. Walking into the building was a big moment and the staff knew we might be apprehensive, making such an effort to make us feel welcome, offering a drink or snack and being smiley and warm.”

In addition to Thomas’ support, Faye also received counselling with one of the adult therapy team to work through her own feelings of grief, guilt and the challenges of being a single parent. “I could swear, cry, laugh with my therapist,” she said. “It really shifted things for me.” The parenting support also helped Faye and Jon align on how best to support Thomas.

“I can’t stress enough how helpful the support from Cavendish has been for all of us,” Faye shared “Without it, I would not have known how to support Thomas or allow myself to work through the fears and worries that cancer brings. The therapy has made a big difference in our lives. Thomas is more settled at school now, and it’s given him a voice. We don’t know what the future holds, but this has given us a solid foundation, and I know Cavendish will be there if we need them again.”