A fundraising appeal has been launched for a 10-year-old girl from Whittle-le-Woods who has been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.
Emilia Atkinson was recently given the heart-breaking diagnosis of a grade 4 DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) tumour – a rare and incurable form of cancer.
Her mum Kayleigh has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money so Emilia can access clinical trials both in the UK and abroad and has already raised nearly £30,000.
Kayleigh told Blog Preston: “With her lab results coming back we will know which clinical trials are available for us. [This] could be anywhere in the world, so we just want to be prepared.”
Kayleigh and Emilia’s dad, Daryl, explained on the GoFundMe page: “This news came as a complete shock only a few days before she was due to start her final year in primary school. The odd headache, morning sickness and difficulty dancing like she is used to has resulted in our world being completely crushed.
“Right now, there are no standard cures for DIPG. But there are promising clinical trials in the UK and abroad that are giving children like Emilia more time, better quality of life, and most importantly – hope.
“Unfortunately, many of these treatments are not fully funded by the NHS, and to access them we need to raise money urgently for medical costs, travel, and accommodation. The costs can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds, which is impossible for us as a family to cover alone. That’s why we are reaching out, with hearts full of love and hope, to ask for your help.”
The family said every single donation, no matter how small, will make a difference in giving Emilia more time to laugh, play and make memories with her family and friends.
Kayleigh added: “Even with the things she’s endured in the last week, she has been so strong and brave. From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for standing with us. She has an army of love, support and prayers around her and we couldn’t be more grateful.
“She is the sunshine in many people’s lives and we need to do everything in our power to give her the best fighting chance.”
To donate to Emilia’s cause, click here: Help Emilia access life saving DIPG treatment
