For many, the return of shielding for the clinically extremely vulnerable at the start of this year was a tough pill to swallow. At this point it feels never-ending. But to families like mine, it’s been part of our daily existence since before the pandemic even began. That’s because, before coronavirus turned the whole world upside down, our family’s world turned upside down when our daughter Amelie was diagnosed with cancer at the age of six. Amelie has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). It’s rare. Around 790 people are diagnosed with it each year in the UK – most are children and young people. Because ALL attacks white blood cells which fight infection, it can cause people to develop an extremely weakened immune system. The cruel twist is that Amelie’s treatment for her cancer – regular chemotherapy – does the same.