A mum has recalled the shock she experienced after finding out a tumour 'the size of an adult fist' was discovered behind her daughter's eye.
Skye Brierley, from Blackpool, woke up one morning and found that her 'left eye turned the wrong way around'. Mother Ruth immediately rushed Skye to an optician, however, they were unable to diagnose the problem and suspected it wasn't urgent, Lancs Live reports.
Ruth, 47, said: "I knew something wasn’t right. We came home and did Christmas, but within two hours of her opening her presents she was fast asleep on the sofa. We gave her some chocolate and she perked up a bit, so we thought she might be diabetic."
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However, after two days, Skye's condition didn't improve and she was taken to a GP who believed she had diabetes. "Then he shone a light up her nose and said - ‘I need you to go to Blackpool Victoria Children’s Hospital, and I need you to go right now," Ruth said.
The pair were at the hospital for around 10 hours with Skye undergoing CT scans, blood tests and cognitive functioning tests. On the following morning, Ruth and husband Michael were asked to speak with the doctor in private while Skye played outside.
"As soon as they sent Skye out, I knew it wasn't good." Doctors informed them that Skye likely had Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) - an aggressive form of cancer - in her head.
"Her tumour was the size of an adult fist," Ruth added. "It hadn’t infiltrated the brain but had gone under, strangling her optic nerve."
Skye and her parents were driven to Manchester Children's Hospital where a biopsy confirmed the tragic diagnosis, leading to chemotherapy treatment starting right away. The location of the tumour meant doctors considered it inoperable.
After six months of chemotherapy treatment, the family were flown to Florida for 12 weeks to undergo proton beam radiotherapy. "It was the worst time of our lives, "said Ruth.
"We all missed each other so much, and it was so stressful. Skye found it very difficult to cope, but she was incredibly brave." Skye, now aged nine, is enjoying her time in primary school and says she wants to be either a teacher or oncology nurse when she's older.
She is currently waiting for a gaming PC to be given by Make-A-Wish UK to provide some much-needed entertainment while she continues to undergo treatment. Ruth said: "Skye has a lot of anxiety after her ordeal, and gaming is an escape for her. It’s a place where she can be creative and let her imagination run wild.
"She loves to build things – she wants to build an entire world of mansions on Minecraft!" Make-A-Wish has also launched a gaming fundraising appeal this month for children like Skye, hoping to raise £400,000 which will grant wishes for 200 children.
Meanwhile, members of the gaming community are being urged to take part in sponsored livestreams, using platforms like Twitch to raise money for the charity while gaming.
Jason Suckley, chief executive of Make-A-Wish UK said: "When a child like Skye is diagnosed with a critical condition, the joy of childhood is brought to an abrupt end with treatment plans, hospital appointments and worry taking over. The power of a wish can light up the darkness for children living with a critical condition, leaving a profound and lasting impact on their lives."
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