The appeal consists of a letter, a booklet explaining how Macmillan help children to deal with cancers, and a set of 6 adhesive Christmas gift labels (as a thank you for support).  The letter and the accompanying booklet are based on the experience of one little boy – diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of three – and the support he and his family received from Macmillan.

Among other things, the booklet explains the words children are encouraged to use instead of potentially scary medical terms.  For instance:  magic sleep = anaesthetic; baddies = cancerous blood cells.   But here I have a confession to make.  A Hickman Line is known as ‘Mr Wiggly’ and although I could guess from the context what a Hickman Line is, my dictionary was unable to help.    So, a message to medical charities – we’re not all as well informed as they are on medical terminology.

The book contains the frightening statistic that 739 people around the UK receive a cancer diagnosis every day.   Of these, Macmillan supported some 300,000 last year.  Obviously they want to be able to help more and their appeal is written in the  straightforward way that I believe will encourage people to donate.

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