'It was the worst time of our lives, but we've had most special moments'

IN THE world of sport, success is often measured in trophies. But for top horse trainer Christian Williams, no win compares to the moment he and partner Charlotte Smith watched their eight-year-old daughter ring the bell to mark the end of a 27-month battle with cancer.

- LOIS MCCARTHY

Two years earlier, in the spring of 2023, Christian had pulled off a career-defining double.

Within the span of seven days, Kitty's Light a horse from his Bridgend yard won both the Scottish Grand National and the bet365 Cup, two of jump racing's most prestigious prizes.

But while the headlines celebrated Christian's biggest professional triumph, behind the scenes the family was facing a far more personal and harrowing battle.

Five-year-old Betsy had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. The diagnosis came suddenly, but in hindsight, the signs had been building.

"Both of my kids are healthy children before this happened, I don't recall ever taking them to the GP," Charlotte said. "They'd get the odd cold, but that was about as bad as it got."

It began with an ear infection. Charlotte said: "It was the first one she [Betsy] ever had and it was quite nasty. I remember taking her to the GP about it because I was a little bit worried that there might be something wrong with her hearing afterwards, but she was given the all-clear."

However, Charlotte's concern only grew when Betsy didn't bounce back. Instead, she began experiencing unexplained fevers, fatigue and a loss of her usual spark.

"She was coming home from school and lying on the sofa with her iPad. That was different she's always been so playful, dancing all the time."

Then came the pain first in her ankle, then her arms, then her stomach. At night, she would wake up crying. Being a physiotherapist, Charlotte assumed it was growing pains, which are common in children. But the pain didn't stop.

Instead more red flags followed: night sweats that drenched her sheets, food aversions and a slow but noticeable weight loss.

"Because I had a bit of a medical background, I started to panic," Charlotte said.

"We made several GP visits and were told it was probably viral.