A York family whose little boy was diagnosed with cancer have told how their world was turned upside down.
They were speaking as plans emerged for a new holiday retreat for families like them.
Ben was just eight years old when he was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma last February.
“One moment, he was a healthy little boy. The next, I was being told he might not survive the night. I couldn’t believe it was real life,” his mum Kirsty said.
Ben initially fell ill with what was thought to be a tummy bug. Within days, he was in critical condition, battling septic shock and multiple surgeries that led to his diagnosis.
The eight-year-old faced unimaginable challenges during his 308 days in the hospital, undergoing intense chemotherapy and relearning how to walk after sepsis damaged his leg.
However, against all odds, Ben rang the remission bell in September 2024.
Throughout the family’s journey, Kirsty found support in other parents on the hospital ward.
“We became each other’s lifeline, sharing stories, fears, and small victories. But the hospital is not a place for healing, not emotionally. It’s all about survival,” she said.
Children with Cancer UK is behind the new holiday retreat in North Yorkshire for families affected by the devastating disease.
Raines Retreat aims to provide the sanctuary families need to escape the daily stresses of childhood cancer.
Opening on the former Rains Farm in Allerston, near Pickering, will be the UK’s first of its kind, designed solely for children affected by cancer and their families.
Kirsty said: “When Ben was diagnosed with cancer, our world turned upside down. There were times when I couldn’t believe it was real life.
“We spent countless hours in the hospital during Ben’s diagnosis and treatment, more than we did our own home. It was incredibly difficult but meeting other parents in similar situations on the ward and hearing their experiences, made our journey a little bit less lonely.
“That’s why Raines Retreat will be a lifeline for families, a place to breathe, connect and find comfort with others who truly understand, away from the beeping machines and clinical setting.
“Today, Ben is doing well and has been in remission for four months. I hope Raines Retreat gives families the chance to make precious memories together, even after the hardest of times.”
Connect with others
Raines Retreat will be open to all families affected by, or navigating the trauma of, childhood cancer. This includes families with children currently undergoing treatment, those who have survived childhood cancer, and bereaved families.
The redevelopment, led by James Carson Construction Group, has been designed with sensitivity to the character of the local area and will preserve the farm’s original architecture and features.
The retreat is set for completion this coming Spring, and will include four standalone holiday cottages.
One of which will be fully wheelchair accessible, as well as the redevelopment of an existing farmhouse into two holiday lets, allowing for a total capacity for up to 27 people at a time.
Raines Retreat will also feature a new reflection garden, a safe space for families to relax and connect with nature.
Created by North Yorkshire garden designer Thomas Clarke in collaboration with Ros Coutts-Harwood, the garden will be unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May before returning to the retreat in time for opening.
It follows Thomas’s success at the Flower Show last year, where his ‘Raines Repurposed’ balcony garden, sponsored by Children with Cancer UK, won a Silver Gilt medal and the People’s Choice Award for Best Balcony/Container Garden.
Families can enjoy the holiday retreat for a few days or several weeks. A future phase is also being explored, which would allow families to take part in group wellbeing activities and workshops in a purpose-built space on the site.
Speaking about the new retreat, Kirsty said, “A place like Raines Retreat would have meant the world to us.
“When you’re living in a hospital for nearly a year, you just want a place where you can feel like a family again.
“Somewhere peaceful, where you’re not surrounded by beeping machines and endless worry. Somewhere to process everything away from the hospital walls.”
Now four months into remission, Ben is rebuilding his strength every day. For the families affected by childhood cancer, whether actively going through treatment, in recovery, or bereaved, Raines Retreat will be a lifeline.
Kirsty said, “Having a space like this, where families can come together, away from the stress and the constant fear, is invaluable.
“Just being around people who truly understand what you’ve been through, it helps more than words can say.”
Amar Naher, CEO of Children with Cancer UK, said, “When a child is diagnosed with cancer, life changes overnight, and the experience can be very isolating.
“Families desperately need spaces that allow them to recharge both physically and emotionally, and that gives them an opportunity to connect with others with similar experiences.
“Until now there hasn’t been a facility in the UK that is dedicated to families affected by childhood cancer, and the unique challenges that come with this diagnosis.
“Raines Retreat will change that. It will offer families a chance to escape their day to day worries, meet others who are on the cancer journey and make precious new memories. We can’t wait to welcome our first families to the retreat this summer.”
For more information about Raines Retreat, click here.