How the Giggle Doctors helped Arabella

“We first met Dr Ding Dong while Arabella was waiting for her chemotherapy and we were told there was a special visitor to see her.”

“Arabella was amazed by Dr Ding Dong’s outfit and thought she was amazing! Arabella had loads of questions about if she was a real doctor as she hadn’t met any of the Giggle Doctors before.”

“Dr Ding Dong has met Arabella a few times now, the first time they exchanged jokes and Arabella loved this as she tried to remember the jokes to tell her friends. At Halloween they met paper bats and ghosts together.”

“Every time Dr Ding Dong has visited, it has brightened Arabella’s mood and relieved her boredom. Chemo takes at least 5 hours, so they are very long days for her. Dr Ding Dong has made Arabella proper belly laugh during a stressful time – it’s amazing to see!”

As a mum, it makes me more relaxed when I can see Arabella happy, enjoying herself and acting like a child of her age rather than having to worry about treatments and being unwell. It’s really nice to meet a ‘doctor’ who isn’t asking questions about treatment but is solely there to make Arabella happy and feel good.”

Words by Hannah, Arabella’s mum

Collected by Isabel Squires at Southampton Children’s Hospital November 2023