Gyles Brandreth on grandson’s cancer diagnosis

National treasure Gyles Brandreth has opened up publicly for the first time to speak in depth about his grandson’s cancer diagnosis and the toll it took on the family ahead of World Cancer Day tomorrow – as he calls for kinder treatments for childhood cancers.

The writer and broadcaster is a longstanding GOSH Charity supporter and has spoken with emotion about the ‘shock to the system’ when he was told his grandson Kitt had cancer, how hard it was to see him endure gruelling treatment and how the charity provided support at the toughest of times.

Kitt’s parents Saethryd, 48, a writer, and Mark, 48, an army veteran and charity founder, first spotted something wasn’t right with Kitt in April 2017.

They found a hard, pea-shaped lump near his tummy when changing his nappy.

Concerned, they went to the GP but were told it was likely to be a cyst or a hernia. But an A&E trip followed by ultrasounds and other tests led to a diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue sarcoma. Fewer than 60 children are diagnosed with it in the UK each year.1

Gyles said: “Kitt’s diagnosis was a shock to the system. We think of cancer as something that happens to unlucky middle-aged people.

“You think of breast cancer or prostate cancer, and older people but you don’t think of kids, well we didn’t. I think we didn’t realise what a long journey it was going to be.

“But I have to say the moment we heard Kitt was going to ‘Great Ormond Street’ we felt reassured because of their world-class reputation. There was the sense that whatever needed to be available would be available.”

The Gogglebox star, who has three children and seven ‘bright, brilliant’ grandchildren, spoke about the toll cancer treatment had on Kitt.

Kitt had to have chemotherapy which caused him to lose his hair, and had several blood and platelet transfusions, as well as a bacterial infection that affected his heart and liver damage.

He also suffered a condition called veno-occlusive disease, a life-threatening condition commonly caused by high doses of chemotherapy which causes the obstruction of small veins in the liver and can lead to multi-organ failure.

Gyles said: “It became clear to us that the science in this area takes a long time to develop. You read things [about new treatments] in the paper and think this sounds exciting but when you speak to the doctors, they aren’t available yet.”

GOSH Charity says more needs to be done to find kinder cancer treatments for children.

Cancer is the leading cause of death among children aged one to 14 in the UK, with 220 children losing their lives to it every year.

Over the last few decades, there have been significant advances such as CAR T-cell therapy being used on children, which was pioneered at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

But many children's cancers are still being treated with drugs that were developed in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, in the last ten years, only 12 anti-cancer medicines have been approved for use in children compared to over 150 for adult cancers.2

When compared to adult studies, clinical trials testing new treatments in children take six and a half years longer on average to reach approval stage. For some medicines, approval for use in children has been awarded 22 years after its approval for adults.3

GOSH Charity, which provides funding for pioneering research amongst its other key funding areas, says the world-leading Children’s Cancer Centre which is currently being built, will enable children to access clinical trials, as well as providing world class facilities, a hospital school and outside spaces.

Gyles, who hosts podcast Rosebud in which he interviews famous people about their childhood, said while Kitt’s parents focused on caring for him, his role was being ‘Grandpa, providing a sense of normality’.

He was often in the ward’s playroom wearing one of his brightly-coloured signature jumpers and playing with Kitt, alongside members of the Charity-funded Play team.

He said: “What they do brilliantly at Great Ormond Street is remember that children are children so there was a wonderful playroom. Kit and I would do jigsaws, build things together - I’d build them up and he’d help knock them down, and I taught him funny poems.”

Gyles spoke about the support his family received from GOSH Charity which includes providing free accommodation for families near to the hospital to stay close to their children, a multi-faith chaplaincy service to offer spiritual support, and a dedicated Play team who bring joy to the wards.

Every day, over 700 seriously ill children are seen at GOSH and there are 67 different clinical specialties at GOSH, which is the highest number at any children's hospital in Europe.

He said the whole experience of Kitt having cancer was ‘emotional.’

“It’s a case of holding your breath, being patient and trusting in the team and I have to say the team were matchless at every level from the consultants right the way through to the nursing staff and everyone else. Everyone is there for you. It’s very moving because you never feel alone.”

In November 2017, Kitt was given the all-clear and able to ring the end of treatment bell in the hospital.

Now aged ten, has been in remission for eight years and has yearly checks at GOSH.

He lives abroad with his parents and brother Rory, now 19. Gyles describes him as “a confident little chap, very outgoing” who “doesn’t brood on what happened though he knows it’s part of his story.”

Thanks to the treatment and support from GOSH Charity he is now able to live a normal life, indulging in his love of football and Roblox.

The family have been keen to ‘give back’ to the Charity, holding fundraising events including Gyles, Judi and the Dames, a show at the London Palladium which included famous guests such as Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joanna Lumley and Dame Floella Benjamin.

Louise Parkes, Chief Executive of GOSH Charity, said:

“We're so pleased to hear that Kitt has recovered so well from his cancer and that the support we gave him and his family made such a difference.

“Every year, 220 children lose their lives to cancer in the UK and many more face uncertainty and worry, gruelling treatments, and precious time away from friends, family and school.

“With World Cancer Day around the corner, we are very grateful to Gyles Brandreth for shining a light on the impact of cancer treatment on children and how vital it is that they have access to the best possible treatments and cutting-edge facilities.

“That’s why we’re proud to be building a world-leading new Children’s Cancer Centre at GOSH that will help to transform children's cancer care in a home-from-home environment. We hope the public will dig deep to help us make this vision a reality. One way to do that is to enter Omaze’s Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall which is in aid of GOSH Charity before 22nd February.”

Visit Omaze.co.uk to take part in Omaze’s Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall.

[ENDS] 

1. Rhabdomyosarcoma in children. Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group, cclg-rhabdomyosarcoma-factsheet-2022.pdf
2. European Society for Paediatric Oncology, SIOPE
3. European Journal of Cancer
4. World Health Organisation, Pediatric cancer drug approval overview

About Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) 

Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) stops at nothing to help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer. For the hundreds of children from all over the UK who are treated by Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) every day, for children with rare or complex illnesses everywhere, for this generation and all those to come.   

GOSH has been transforming the lives of seriously ill children since opening its doors in 1852 and has always depended on charitable support. GOSH Charity funds groundbreaking research into children’s health, cutting-edge medical equipment, child-centred medical facilities and the support services children and families going through the toughest journey of their lives urgently need.  But there is so much more we need to do.   

Together with our supporters, we can give seriously ill children the best chance, and the best childhoods, possible. Because we believe no childhood should be lost to serious illness.   

Join us, visit gosh.org today.