'I was left without a wife and daughter'

Graham with his wife and daughter, Natalie Carolyn Upson and Alice Amy Whittaker

In the space of three years, Graham Upson lost both his wife and daughter to breast cancer.

Graham, from Loddon near Norwich, Norfolk, now delivers gift boxes that helped them during their treatment.

Little Lifts gives care packages to breast cancer patients in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

Graham, 76, helped deliver the charity's 20,000th box on Friday to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Little Lifts founder Oa Hackett joined Graham to deliver the 20,000th box

Graham first got involved with the charity when he contacted founder Oa Hackett in April 2022.

"I wrote in to say thank you, and is there anything I could do to help," he said.

"I think the first question they asked me was, 'have you got a driving licence?'"

He now delivers the boxes to 10 partner hospitals across the east of England, from Southend-on-Sea in Essex to King's Lynn in Norfolk, and Cambridge.

"I was left without a wife and without a younger daughter but Little Lifts gave me back an awful lot," he said.

Mother and daughter, Alice and Natalie, both received Little Lifts gift boxes during their treatment

Graham's wife, Natalie, died in 2019, aged 59, after four years of treatment.

Two years later, Graham's daughter Alice was diagnosed with the same condition, aged 30, and given 12 months to live.

"She lived just 12 months and 10 days," said Graham.

"As you can imagine, certainly with my daughter, we all collapsed into tears of course."

Natalie and Alice both received boxes from Little Lifts during their treatments.

Graham said that when his wife first received her box they were "quite amazed at the wonderful things inside".

'Beautiful' packages

Oa was inspired to set up the charity during her own breast cancer treatment.

"My family and friends pulled together these really beautiful care packages," she said.

"Little Lifts uses that kindness to give to other people."

The boxes contain products such as moisturisers for sensitive skin, notebooks for writing a journal and puzzles.

The chemotherapy box contains chilli oil and mixed herbs to help with taste loss, which is a common side-effect, and the radiotherapy box includes metal-free deodorant.

Graham said he got involved in packing boxes but joked he was "probably one of the slowest".

The charity is now partnered with 10 hospitals in East Anglia including:

• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

• James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn

• Ipswich Hospital

• West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds

• Colchester Hospital

• Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford

• Basildon Hospital

• Southend-on-Sea Hospital

• Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge

The boxes are sent to breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment at these hospitals, and patients from other areas can request a Little Lifts box from the charity.

Graham volunteers every week, bringing a box of biscuits for the team before driving the boxes to hospitals.

"I've packed a few boxes but have to say I'm probably amongst the slowest - but nobody's ever criticised me yet."