Secret Santa Appeal

For most teenagers, Christmas is a time to switch off from school stress, reconnect with friends and family, and enjoy the feeling of being safe, loved, and part of something special. But for young people facing cancer treatment, the festive cheer surrounding others feels distant. A barrage of appointments and treatments disrupt their sense of normality and that’s when the expertise and compassion of the Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Unit team becomes irreplaceable.

At the Western General Hospital, our dedicated team supports teenagers and young adults whose world has been turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis. From the moment they arrive, through every step of treatment and far into recovery, we provide expert care and emotional support during these crucial years. During the festive season our staff go above and beyond to create moments of joy, warmth, and connection that help young patients feel truly cared for.

As Christmas approaches, we decorate the unit with twinkling lights and Christmas trees to create a warm, comforting space for families facing the unimaginable. Nicola organises activities like cake decorating, quizzes, and movie nights with pizza offering a welcome distraction. Complementary therapies, such as Indian head massages and reflexology, are offered to patients to ease the stress of living with cancer.

Last year, one of our patients, Maya, brought the magic to life by becoming our very own ‘Elf on the Shelf’. Each day, she brought laughter to the ward by hiding the mischievous elf in playful scenarios. Maya said:

Spending the run-up to Christmas on the cancer unit was difficult, but I made the most of it and became Elf on the Shelf. We had lots of fun, and the staff couldn’t work out where the magic was coming from!”

We do everything we can to help patients go home for Christmas but for some, that’s just not possible.

Cancer doesn’t recognise that it’s Christmas.

People are still diagnosed, still become unwell, and sadly, the worst can happen even during the festive season. While others gear up to celebrate, we continue to deliver the same high-quality care.

Every young patient receives a special Christmas gift, whether they’re in hospital or at home. Nicola chooses personalised presents based on each patient’s interests from baking sets and Lego kits to art-themed tea sets and affirmation books. For last-minute admissions, we prepare hot chocolate and hot water bottles to bring warmth and comfort. These small gestures help make an unexpected hospital stay feel a little less lonely and ensure our young people feel remembered.

On Christmas Day, we serve lunch with all the trimmings. Thanks to our open-door policy, patients and families gather around our large table to share the meal together. Ciara, who spent Christmas with us last year, said:

The staff managed to bring Christmas joy onto the ward and make Christmas Day in hospital bright and cheerful. I felt part of a big family and it made Christmas much less lonely.”

Every year, we dress up and welcome Santa, a volunteer who’s been visiting our patients on Christmas day for nearly two decades. The sound of a bell lets everyone know he’s arrived. He visits each bedside with specially selected luxury toiletries, bringing comfort and joy to every young person he meets.

Thanks to the dedication of our team and the generosity of supporters like you, our young patients find moments of joy, hope, and strength – even on their hardest days.

From porters and housekeepers to nurses and specialist staff, in wards and services across NHS Lothian, every one of us plays a part in creating a welcoming, supportive environment. Every Christmas, charity donations help NHS Lothian staff create something truly special: a season filled with warmth, wonder, and human connection. And this year, with your support, we’re ready to do it all again.

Warmest wishes,

Nikki Sanford – Senior Charge Nurse,

Nicola Walker, – Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator,

Fiona Dawson, and Maureen Devaney – Teenage Cancer Trust Clinical Nurse Specialists,

And all the team at the Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Unit, Western General Hospital.

P.S. We’re sorry we can’t accept donated items due to Infection Control, but a donation will make Christmas special for someone in hospital.