21 August 2025
A family we support were treated to a visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground on Tuesday 19th August.
Natasha, and her three children Nikolas, 14, Iliana, 10, and Gabriella, 5, met and had shirts signed by new Head Coach, Thomas Frank, who joined the club earlier this year.
Iliana has an underlying condition that affects many organs and systems but primarily the skin, nervous system and eyes. For her first seven years she had no problems, but then came the moment everything changed and Iliana was diagnosed with an optic nerve glioma in October 2021 and the family were told she needed chemotherapy. It was while she was undergoing treatment that Iliana was referred to Noah’s Ark. Natasha said of the moment Iliana was diagnosed: "My world had fallen apart. I was scared and devastated." Iliana has recently received a good prognosis after many rounds of chemotherapy and is doing well.
We have been Tottenham Hotspur’s official charity partner since 2016. By working together, we create special memories for children facing life-limiting or life-threatening condition and their families.
A special day for Iliana and her family included watching the first-team train and autograph signing with the players but was topped off by the meeting Tottenham's head coach, where they discussed their love of Spurs and the family’s history with Noah’s Ark.
Mum Natasha said:
"We loved meeting Thomas, he was so interested in us and our story and made us feel so welcome. We chatted for a few minutes, and he said he wanted us to make the most of our experience at the training ground, which meant a lot to us. We have had three amazing experiences with Spurs; Nikolas being a mascot, attending James Maddison’s golf day, and then today – it is just amazing and shows the dedication and strength of relationship between the Club and Noah’s Ark. We are very grateful.”
Thomas Frank, Head Coach of Tottenham Hotspur, said:
“It was a real privilege meeting Iliana and her family today and hearing about the amazing work Noah’s Ark does for children, like Iliana, who are going through an incredibly tough time. It is so important that football clubs use their platform to support organisations making such a positive impact in their communities.”
Philip Roethenbaugh, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s Fundraising and Communications Director, said:
“Our partnership with Tottenham Hotspur is very special to us. Being able to create amazing memories like today is what Noah’s Ark is all about, so we are so grateful that Spurs go above and beyond for the families we support. We are looking forward to creating more moments like this with Thomas in the future.”
You can read more about our charity partnership with Tottenham Hotspur here.
