A HEREFORDSHIRE company has been helping BBC soap EastEnders with a new, heartbreaking storyline.
Tonight (Wednesday), EastEnders will air scenes which see 10-year-old character Lexi Pearce, daughter of Lola Pearce and Ben Mitchell, find out her mother has been diagnosed with cancer.
The storyline, which sees mum Lola Pearce diagnosed with a brain tumour, began airing this autumn where viewers have seen Lola and her loved ones begin to deal with her diagnosis, EastEnders said.
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The storyline will follow the experience of Lola, and those around her, as she faces her new reality of being a young mother living with a brain tumour.
EastEnders has worked closely with Herefordshire's Hope Support Services, a registered charity, on the scenes airing this week.
The collaboration has been forged to ensure the story is portrayed as realistically and as sensitively as possible for all children who have parents experiencing a terminal illness, a spokesperson for the soap said.
Lorna Russell, safeguarding lead at Hope Support Services, based in Ross-on-Wye, said: “It's been great to work with Danielle (Lola) and Isabella (Lexi) on this storyline – lots of families will understand how distressing it can be for children when someone they love has cancer, so we're pleased to see EastEnders focusing on how Lexi is affected by Lola's brain tumour.”
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The charity, based at Ross Park, aims to support young people aged between five and 25 when a loved one is seriously ill.
It offers support across the UK via its online service, whilst young people in Herefordshire can also access youth sessions, activity days and one-to-one support in schools.
“Lots of families will understand how distressing it can be for children when someone they love has cancer," Hope’s chief executive Michael Sharp said.
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“We’re pleased to see EastEnders focusing on how Lexi is affected by Lola’s brain tumour, and raising awareness of the needs of the children and young people who are going through this traumatic time.
“We receive so many calls from parents who, after being diagnosed with an illness like cancer, have no idea how to break that news to younger family members.
“Many, like Lola, struggle to find the words – this can lead to children picking things up themselves, and feeling like they’re not included.”
EastEnders airs on BBC Two tonight at 7.30pm
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