When the words childhood cancer are mentioned most people would not immediately think of household chores.
But cooking, cleaning and ironing spring straight to mind if those same words are uttered in front of a volunteer from the national charity CLIC Sargent.
The organisation recruits people to help with the tasks that mount up when a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer.
The family of the child, including brothers and sisters, all receive some emotional support from volunteers as well as having help with the physical demands.
Coping with an unwell child can turn a family's routine upside down. Instead of undertaking the usual chores such as the weekly shop, washing and ironing and the school run, mums and dads often find themselves spending most of their time at a hospital bedside.
When 11-year-old Matthew Parsons, of Peel Park, Bradford, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in February, CLIC Sargent volunteers stepped-up to help his family.
Like any bedroom shared by siblings, the space used by Matthew and his brother Benjiman, 17, was less than spotless.
As a result, when the Bradford Cathedral Community College pupil started hospital treatment, the bedroom was not an ideal space to house his recovery.
But help was at hand in the form of the volunteers who got to work tidying the room and painting it.
Within a day new beds were put in and clutter thrown away. Bits and pieces that boys wanted to keep were put into storage and the room was cleaned by the team of five, helped by Benjiman.
By the time Matthew was ready to come home his room was transformed into a peaceful, uncluttered space.
Mother Gillian Parsons, 42, said: "Coping with Matthew's cancer is difficult for the whole family, but thankfully we have had some brilliant help and you get through it because you have to.
"A group of volunteers from the project came to the house and spent a day clearing the room out and redecorating it so that when he returned from hospital, still quite unwell, his room would be suitable for his recovery. It was like a different room."
Matthew said he had insisted he have a go at painting, which had been his favourite part of having the room redecorated.
"It was a mess before, it all had clothes everywhere and baby toys that we used to play with," he said.
And he was adamant that he would continue to keep his room spick and span from now on.
Janette Lowley, one of the volunteers working with the family, said: "Being able to help families like the parsons has been amazing experience for me.
"When you see first hand just what a struggle it is for so many families it is hugely rewarding to be able to make their lives that little bit easier. I work as a counsellor but I find the time to give up a few hours a week to volunteer for the project."
Like many charities across the country, CLIC Sargent is always on the lookout for more volunteers.
Simon Moran, project co-ordinator for the charity's Leeds Hull and Bradford community support project, said there were currently no volunteers from Bradford.
He said: "We are desperately calling for people in Bradford to give just a few hours a week to help these families out with day-to-day household tasks like shopping, cleaning or the school run."
For information about volunteering for CLIC Sargent in Bradford telephone Mr Moran on (0113) 2748767 or e-mail: simon.moran@ clicsargent.org.uk.
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