"I've had to be strong"

By Carole Richardson

In the news

14 November 2011 12:27

Discover why Isobel Hoare is our new Yours Grandparent of the Year!

Grinning from ear to ear, Isobel Hoare’s eldest grandson shot straight down the water slide and into the swimming pool at their French holiday resort.
His excitement was contagious and Isobel (61) was soon laughing as loudly as William (7) as they splashed each other in the warm September sunshine.
Just last Christmas – soon after William had been suddenly diagnosed with Leukaemia – she daren’t have dreamt of this happy family moment.
“I’ve had to learn to take each day as it comes and not think about the future too much, ” admits the retired gran of five from Garway, Herefordshire, who has just been crowned Yours Grandparent of the Year after being nominated by William’s aunt - her daughter Lucy (36).
Any loving gran would have shared their grandchild’s heartbreaking pain, but in Isobel’s case, there was no respite because William, his little sister Felicity (5) and their father Tom  (30) had moved in to live with her and husband Billy (63) the previous year.
Preparing for retirement, they’d already downsized from their larger family home to a much smaller three bedroom one but didn’t think twice about inviting them in during a  difficult time.
“It wasn’t ideal but I was very happy for them to come,” recalls Isobel, who also has another daughter Janet (34).
With five acres of land attached to the small barn they’d converted, the children loved playing among the sheep and chickens and both settled at the small village school. Tom was working as a postman.
Throwing herself into her new role, Isobel was up early getting the children’s washed, dressed and breakfasted before taking them to school; picking them up and dropping  them at football and ballet classes when Tom was working.
“It wasn’t the retirement we’d planned but fortunately I love cooking and having them here,” she adds.
But  in Autumn last year, William suddenly began complaining about pains in his legs. Initial visits to the local GP surgery didn’t provide any explanation but after about a month they hadn’t gone away and Isobel noticed a worrying bruise on his left foot.
“He was really poorly and crying in agony by this time,” she recalls.
Tom took him to the doctor again on the morning of December 1 and he was given a blood test. That evening Tom received a phone call telling him to take William immediately to Hereford Hospital, where Leukaemia was diagnosed.
“It was such a shock when Tom rang from hospital and told me and although I was in tears on the phone, I knew I had to be strong. There was Felicity to think of as well, “ adds Isobel who set about packing a bag of William’s clothes including the surprise Thomas the Tank dressing gown she’d bought him for Christmas.
Transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital the next day,  it was several days before Isobel could visit William who’d already begun chemotherapy.
“He’d just started treatment and didn’t seem so bad at that stage. He was quite happy playing on Game Boys and watching DVDs not realising what was to come…”
“I didn’t think I would cope but you just have to accept it. William’s been  such a brave little boy, I had to be too,” adds Isobel, who was determined to try and keep things as normal as possible for Felicity who she admits was “a bit confused by it all.”
“I also wanted to be supportive for Tom. It was very hard seeing him so upset.”
Allowed home ten days later but still very poorly, the family tried to enjoy the festive season but Isobel admits: “It was the worst Christmas we’ve ever had. “
“William could barely lift his head off the pillow  and although we carried him downstairs to lie on the sofa and be with the family, he was too poorly to eat anything or play with his presents. The only thing he took a bit of notice of was a golf putting machine Tom had bought him.”
But responding well to treatment this year, William is now in remission and only needs to visit hospital once a month.
Realising more than ever how precious her family is to her and Billy, a retired haulage contractor, Isobel had no qualms in cancelling plans to spend their ruby wedding anniversary on September 11 on a dream luxury cruise.
Instead they decided to pay to hire three mobile homes in France and take the whole family away on holiday.  Although both Lucy and Janet live more than an hour’s drive away with their children Harriet (5); Freddie (18 months) and Dulcie (one) Isobel – who also helps care for her 91-year-old mother -  likes to babysit for them whenever she can.
Leaping at the chance the party headed off for France  in September a month after William was allowed to have his “wiggly” line – the surgical tube enabling blood to be taken and drugs to be given intravenously   – removed enabling to go swimming.
“The weather was lovely and we all spent every day in the pool. Being surrounded by all my family as I watched William’s face on the water slide was absolutely amazing. Much better than any cruise!” adds Isobel.
Now, after winning £500 worth of Thomas Cook holiday vouchers, Isobel who says she was “surprised and delighted” to learn she’d won the Yours  award is thinking about getting the cruise after all.
But William has other ideas…As his gran walked him to school carrying an album of  holiday photos to show his teacher and classmates, he announced: “We’ll be able to go again next year now you’ve won those vouchers!”