An eight-year-old girl could only eat yoghurts, ice cream, finely grated cheese and 'melting' Pom-Bear crisp due to a rare throat condition.
Poppy Nesbitt, who turns eight on Easter Sunday, was born with congenital oesophageal structure (CES). The condition, which causes the narrowing of her food pipe, made it impossible for her to eat most foods.
Her mum, Helen Nesbitt, 46, originally noticed something wasn't right with Poppy when she started trying to wean her onto solid foods at eight months old. Poppy struggled to swallow food, leading to fits of choking, retching and vomiting.
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After receiving a diagnosis in October 2016, Poppy underwent surgery in May 2017 to widen her throat. This was followed by numerous visits to Alder Hey Children's Hospital for tests and seven gastroscopy procedures to further stretch her gullet.
But this year, Poppy is planning to make up for lost time, as she celebrates her birthday on Easter Sunday with her new-found love of chocolate.
Helen, a telecommunications worker, said: "Before she had the big surgery all she could have was yoghurt, ice cream, melting crisps and some finely grated cheese - but now, she eats so much.
"She's got such an opinion on what she likes. She loves a roast dinner with Yorkshire puddings, pizza and pasta and most of all she loves chocolate. It has to be Cadbury's though. She doesn't like cheap novelty chocolate and she can tell straight away.
"Her favourite is Cadbury's fruit and nut, which is unusual for an eight-year-old. She knows chocolate so well, that when she sees the colour purple, she goes nuts. She loves Easter because she knows it's her birthday coming up and she also gets lots of chocolate and Easter eggs.
"There was once a time she wasn't able to eat more than a few small crumbs of her birthday cake, but now she can have all the chocolate she wants. After not being able to eat for so long it took her a long time to be able to get used to stuff but now she lives a normal life and isn't majorly impacted."
She added: "Poppy is doing really well. She still sees a consultant from time to time but she's eating and growing and living a normal life.
"Poppy had toast for the first time at two-and-a-half. She absolutely loves toast with butter. She loves pasta, pizza. It is such a delight that she can eat. It is something that is taken for granted until you can't.
"She's really excited for her birthday to have lots of treats to herself rather than watching everyone else enjoy her cake."
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