Oldhamer Merrissa’s vital role is highlighted during Children in Need annual telethon

Eight-year-old Masud Ahmed Khan from Manchester, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged five and whose family is supported by Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, featured in a short film in the annual Children in Need telethon last Friday on BBC One.

Masud’s tumour was diagnosed in 2019 and operated on a couple of months later, but due to the complexity of the surgery, Masud has been left permanently blind.  

The family was referred to Rainbow Trust by their liaison nurse at the hospital, and Oldham-based Family Support Worker Merrissa began supporting Masud and his family six months after this initial operation in January, 2020.  

Merrissa’s role at the charity as a Family Support Worker is fully funded by Children in Need and the generous donations received in previous years of the popular BBC telethon.  

Merrissa provides emotional support to the whole Khan family.

When she visits, she provides Masud with much needed one to one time.

She plays games with him, makes cards and reads stories as well as listens to what he has to say, particularly about his feelings which helps him to manage his emotions.  

Merrissa also provides practical support to the family as she helps them during hospital visits by looking after Masud and his younger brother Mikial whilst Marzana and her husband Sarwar talk to the doctors.

He attends medical check-ups every few months and in February 2021 the family received the devastating news that Masud’s tumour had started to grow again.

He has subsequently undergone further operations and will be starting a course of immunotherapy in Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, which will take two to three years to complete.

The future is uncertain for Masud but the family remain so grateful to Merrissa for all her continued support.   

Zillah Bingley, Chief Executive at Rainbow Trust, said: “We are delighted that Masud, his family and Merrissa his Family Support Worker featured in Children in Need this year, and we are grateful to have this opportunity to showcase how the support our Family Support Workers provide to families with a seriously ill child makes such a difference to their lives.

"We couldn’t provide the vital support to families like Masud’s without the generous donations of our supporters and BBC Children in Need viewers both past and present.

"We would like to give our heartfelt thanks for any donations - no matter how small - which make such an enormous difference to families like Masud’s.

"When a child has a serious illness, family life is turned upside down and time becomes more precious than ever - our Family Support Workers help families cope more effectively with the time they have and with the challenges they face.”

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