Christchurch, Health & Lifestyle | Posted on April 22nd, 2026 | return to news

Technology transforms life for Christchurch child with cancer

11-year-old Aria has been able to return home thanks to a small but life-changing piece of equipment funded by Southampton Hospitals Charity.

A sense of normality has returned for an 11-year-old Christchurch cancer sufferer thanks to cutting-edge technology.

Aria, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in January 2025, has been able to return home from Southampton Children’s Hospital and attend school, thanks to a small but life-changing piece of equipment funded by Southampton Hospitals Charity.

Her intensive treatment meant hours each day connected to equipment on the ward at the hospital, which is based at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

“We even gave the chemo stand a name,” Aria says. “We called it the ballerina, because it twirled around so much. I couldn’t really go far with it.”

But everything changed when hospital staff introduced Aria to a small backpack containing a computerised ambulatory delivery device, known as a CADD pump.

The portable pump, carefully programmed and monitored by specialist teams on the Piam Brown ward, allows medication to be delivered continuously while children move freely – meaning they are no longer confined to a hospital bed or ward.

Suzanne, Aria’s mum, said: “For us, it was an absolute game-changer. With the continuous infusion of anti-sickness medication, the vomiting stopped and she could live as close to a normal life as possible. When your child is diagnosed, you feel completely overwhelmed. You take things one day at a time, but the CADD pump gave Aria some of her life back. She could sit at the dinner table and just be a child again – even in the middle of treatment. It sounds simple, but in those moments it means everything.”

Ellis Banfield, chief executive of Southampton Hospitals Charity, said: “Stories like Aria’s show exactly why charitable funding matters. These backpacks may seem small, but the impact is enormous. They give children freedom, independence and a sense of normality at a time when everything else feels uncertain.

“For families facing long hospital stays and intensive treatment, being able to go home, go to school, or simply spend time together makes a world of difference. We are proud to support care that treats not just the illness, but the whole child.”

Southampton Hospitals Charity is now supporting the expansion of this service, led by specialist nurses, to ensure more children and young people undergoing cancer therapy can receive their treatment at home, putting families at the heart of care. This innovative approach will help to modernise cancer care.

Southampton Hospitals Charity is encouraging the public to support its work to ensure more children like Aria can benefit from life-changing equipment.
To find out more or donate, visit https://southamptonhospitalscharity.org.