JUST as Santa is busy sorting out his toys and packing them into his sleigh, therapists from the Christian Lewis Trust start each morning doing exactly the same.
Linda Miles and Aneira Collins get the playroom toys ready, while Anne White packs bags of others into her car ready for delivery to children's houses.
The Swansea-based children's cancer charity has been dispensing care like that for 21 years, raising over �6 million in that time through donations — the charity's sole source of income.
One of the bags contains a doctor's kit, the favourite toy of six-year-old Ben, who is going through chemotherapy at the moment. He has developed a fear of needles and through play therapy is able to work through his fears and is starting to cope with them.
He loves being the doctor and treats the patients, giving them lots of needles, holding the bowl when they are sick and telling them to be brave.
Sophie will choose to play with the puppets. She uses them to play out stories about how she does not always know what to say when people ask her about her scar and the bald patch on the back of her head. Ffion uses the puppets to tell what it is like to have a brother who is very ill and how she worries.
Paul is a teenager whose mum died earlier this year. He uses the art box from the bag and is making a picture strip story. He finds it hard to talk about what happened but through art he is able to tell his story, and let out some of the feelings he is experiencing.
Harriet also loves the art stuff. She is nearly at the end of her treatment for leukaemia. Through art she also is able to talk about things and how she is coping. She has just made a mask with glitter and feathers and talked about how, figuratively speaking, she has to put a mask on just to get to school — in other words putting on a brave face.
People think she is doing okay, but sometimes she feels no one really sees the real her and understands what she is going through.
Lee loves playing games and talks as he plays, Tim is using the action figures to work through his anger, while Lucy just likes to play in the portable sand tray and talk through relevant issues. And Sam excitedly talks about the holiday in Florida that his family are going on. They are going to stay at the charity's villa. This is his brother's end of treatment treat but they have to wait until they had the all clear.
Each child has their favourite toy that helps them tell their story, whether they are at home or in the charity's playroom.
"People often say they had not heard of the Christian Lewis Trust until they needed us," says spokeswoman Barbara Thomas. "We hope people never need us, but for those that do, we offer support and try to make a difference. But it all costs money and we rely entirely on voluntary donations. If people can help, we can carry on what we do."
The trust, based in Walter Road, has taken thousands of families under its wing in the past 21 years.
"We pride ourselves in offering care on an individual and personal level," says Mrs Thomas. "Our primary focus is always on issues that relate to the quality of life for the children and their families. We understand.
"Over the years, we have seen the benefits of being able to share difficulties and our promise to anyone who contacts us is that we'll listen without judging and we'll help wherever we can.
"We have gained a reputation as a professional organisation that provides a very high standard of care and support, but also one that understands what it means to have a child with cancer and the deep distress this brings. We are here to help individuals and families when they need it."
The help may be in the form of play therapy or a stress-free family holiday at four sites on the Welsh coastline, in Disneyland Paris or at Disney World Florida.
The trust gives counselling support for children and youngsters living in South Wales. And it offers a befriending service by telephone or correspondence and is available for anyone whose life has been affected by a child with cancer.
Bereavement support is also given.
"We ask for families to remember that they are not alone, that through the help that the charity offers, they can have the opportunity to share some of the grief and associated feelings of anger, sadness, fear and loss," adds Mrs Thomas.
The trust was formed in 1989 following the tragic death of four-year-old Christian Lewis from neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.
It had taken a year of planning by his parents whose personal experience of the trauma of having their child diagnosed with cancer had highlighted the lack of information and support then available.
"Twenty one years on, the charity has managed to raise over �6 million, entirely from donations," says Mrs Thomas. "We have seen some tough times, but have been able to help thousands of families who have a child affected by a cancer-related illness.
"We have become nationally recognised as a charity and receive referrals and queries from around the UK and abroad. We have extensive links with the health and social care sectors, and other charities.
"We also work to promote a better understanding of children's cancer and the support systems that are available. We have seen many advancements in clinical and care standards over the years, but there is still a considerable amount of progress needed in Wales and our work is just as essential today as it was two decades ago."
Signing up to internet search engine 'Every Click' for free, will see a donation to the charity every time you log on. Telephone 01792 480500, fax 01792 480700, email enquiries@christianlewistrust.org, write to 62 Walter Road Swansea, SA1 4PT or visit the website, www.christianlewistrust.org
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