Five-year-old Dexter was diagnosed with B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in May 2023, just after his third birthday. A diagnosis that came as a shock to the family.

Overnight the three-year old’s life changed, and the family were thrown into a world of medical procedures and treatment. Mum Aimee, said, “In the first few months of his treatment, he stopped walking, he would barely talk, and he hid in his pushchair with his arm covering his face. He was traumatised by his port and NG tube; he didn’t trust anyone.”

The pair were referred to Little Havens in 2023 by Dexter’s Community Nurse, to help them cope with the emotional effects of his diagnosis.

“Little Havens started to provide play therapy for Dexter, helping him understand and feel a bit more in control of everything that was happening. Slowly he started to come out of his shell and things started to change. By the end of his sessions, Dexter was back to his cheeky, funny, energetic self—running around the hospice full of confidence.”

After working 1-1 with the Wellbeing Team Dexter and his mum Aimee started to attend the hospice’s weekly stay’n’play group.

“Dexter wasn’t able to go to nursery very much so stay’n’play quickly became part of our routine. We were able to meet up regularly with other families in the same position, allowing us all to feel less alone on this journey.

When asked what Dexter thought of Little Havens he had high praise for the hospice, mum Aimee, said, “Dexter loves his Grandad, but he loves coming to Little Havens more. For the first few months of coming to Little Havens, Dexter would refer to it as ‘the place that isn’t a hospital.”

“Dexter loves everyone at Little Havens, they are now the people he trusts most in the world. I love the feeling when we walk through the doors, and I don’t have to worry about anything as I know he is safe and happy.”

“The Dexter who first came to Little Havens compared to the Dexter we have now is unrecognisable, I have my little boy back again.”

“I don’t know how we would have made it through the last couple of years without the help of Little Havens.”

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Published in 2025