Moving a child into their university dorm room comes with a whole slew of new emotions for parents. For the Dorey family of Cornwall, England, it was truly a “full circle” moment.
Dad Martin Dorey shared a photo of his daughter Maggie’s first day on campus, initiating an outpouring of support and love from far and wide.
Maggie Dorey just moved into her dormitory at the University of Bristol, and her dad was moved to tears when he realized they were just steps away from the children’s hospital that saved his daughter’s life.
Seventeen years earlier, when Maggie was just a year old, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The staff at the hospital provided the family with excellent care, especially when the little girl had a life-threatening allergic reaction to her chemotherapy medication.
Martin explained that Maggie’s mother was pregnant with their second daughter at the time. So when nurse Charlotte Higby saved Maggie’s life, the family named their new baby after her. Baby Charlie was born right there in Bristol Children’s Hospital, too!
Martin’s tweet about moving Maggie into her dorm right down the street from the hospital went viral with millions of views. People commented with photos of their own leukemia survivors, stories about the wonderful hospital, and words of encouragement for the young student.
The most special messages came from the people who actually remember taking care of Maggie as a baby, including the nurse who saved her!
“As a nurse who looked after Maggie all those years ago, I can’t tell you how much this post means. Have an amazing time Maggie!” Charlotte wrote.
The nurse had no idea that the family had named their second daughter after her, but she does remember that night for a very different reason.
“Yep that’s me! I have never forgotten that night,” she tweeted. “Every year when I do my life support training and they ask ‘has anyone any experience of anaphylaxis’ I think of Maggie.”
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support, Martin urged people who want to help others touched by cancer to contact Young Lives Vs Cancer, a charity that offers free places for relatives to stay during cancer treatments.
Martin said he’s “incredibly proud” of both of his daughters, as he should be! It’s so beautiful to see how far this young lady has come, and it’s so important to show gratitude to all of the people who helped her recover.
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