Madison with sister Brooke at Old MacDonalds Farm
Madisons Story – As written by her Mum, Leanne..
“Our daughter Madison, now aged 5, was diagnosed with Leukaemia when she was 2 and a half years old.
Madison was on Chemotherapy for almost 2 and a half years. During the first couple of months, Madison could barely walk as the chemo made her legs very weak, so she had to either sit in the pushchair or have to be carried.
On hearing Madison’s story, we were invited down to Old MacDonalds Farm in Brentwood. Although we had to keep Madison a safe distance form the animals (due to hygiene reasons whilst on chemo) I was very surprised at how lovely and spotlessly clean the farm was; not like one I’ve been to before.
When we got to the farm, they had offered to give to Madison their newly born baby donkey. Madison named her “Donkey Donkey”. Also that day and from then on, Madison decided to walk (for the first time in months!) around the whole farm and even went on a couple of rides.
We continued to go to the farm most weekends and we do believe that animals are good therapy for sick children.
Staff at Old MacDonalds Farm are extremely kind, generous and genuinely very thoughtful people and I would recommend to anybody with children to pay a visit to the farm”.
Leanne, Gary, Madison and Brooke
Old MacDonalds Farm is so pleased to have had such an impact on Madison, that we have made her an honorary lifetime season ticket holder to the farm. We hope that she carries on going from strength to strength.
