This is Sam’s story told by his dad, Pejman.
Sam, nine years old, is a twin. His brother, Samiyar, has a severe heart condition and has undergone multiple open-heart surgeries. During those years, Samiyar required constant medical attention which meant that Sam was often separated from his twin brother.
Pejman, his wife and their nine-year-old twin boys moved to the UK in 2023. This transition meant huge changes for the family, particularly for Samiyar and Sam whose first language was not English. A distressing experience at school left a deep and lasting emotional impact on Sam alongside his anxieties around his brother’s illness.
After working with The Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and a subsequent referral to The Kentown Children’s Palliative Care Programme, Sam began counselling sessions with Alison at Gaddum, a Manchester-based charity providing the therapeutic counselling and bereavement service for the Kentown Support Greater Manchester programme. This therapy service provides vital therapeutic support to families including siblings, helping build resilience.
“Since being introduced to Gaddum and working with Alison, we have seen a significant positive change in Sam’s emotional wellbeing. He is much happier, more stable, and better able to understand and express his feelings. As a family, we feel that a sense of calm and control has returned to our lives.
We are truly grateful for the support we have received, especially from Alison, whose kindness and understanding have made a real difference to Sam’s life. From the very beginning, Alison created a safe, calm, and trusting environment for Sam. This was very important for us, especially considering the trauma Sam had experienced before starting these sessions.
What has been most noticeable for us as parents is how much Sam genuinely enjoys his sessions. He often talks about Alison at home in a very positive way, which is something we had never seen before. Despite having had counselling in the past, both in our home country and in the UK, Sam used to find those experiences tiring or unhelpful. But with Alison, it is completely different.
He feels comfortable, understood, and respected. This has helped him open up emotionally and engage with the process in a way he never did before.”
Pejman explains the difficulties Sam was having before counselling began. Being able to express his thoughts and feelings has helped him regain his emotional balance. Pejman recalls the family quickly noticing a calmer, more positive atmosphere which had a knock-on effect on everyone.
“I believe it is very important for families to actively support the counselling process” continues Pejman. “The involvement and support of parents can make a real difference. I am very happy that this service and support have had such a positive outcome. After going through difficult challenges, Sam is now a happier child, he has made friends, can manage situations better and is genuinely wanting to continue his counselling sessions with Alison.
We are very grateful to be part of this programme and hope that other families can benefit from the support in the same way.”
To find out more about Kentown Support, or to make a referral, visit the Kentown Support website
You can find out more about Gaddum’s specialist counselling and therapeutic support for parents, siblings, and family members of children receiving palliative or end-of-life care, on Gaddum’s website here
