A desperate family are rallying around to save their toddler after she was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of blood cancer.
Hallie Reeve fell ill suddenly during her family's holiday to Spain last year when she was just eight months old and was rushed back home to the UK.
The toddler, now 20 months old, was then diagnosed with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukaemia (JMML) at Birmingham Children's Hospital, where two attempts at stem cell transplants have been carried out.
But these failed to work, and Hallie's condition is slowly deteriorating.
Speaking today to Mirror, her devastated uncle Tom Dugdale, 32, said: "Hallie is the sweetest little girl; she is so gentle and kind-natured.
"The hospital has become a second home to Hallie, as she’s now spent the majority of her life in hospital fighting cancer.
"Despite this, Hallie has still managed to have a childhood within the hospital walls and has kept a smile on her face throughout.
"She is a charming, gentle and caring child."
Former footballer Ashley Cain's daughter died in April 2021 aged just eight months old, after she was diagnosed with leukaemia.
The 32-year-old man, who played for Coventry City and Mansfield Town, has since started a charity in Azaylia's name to fight childhood cancer.
He has supported Hallie's family as their plight parallels his own.
Tom, who himself has two children, said the "only option" left for his niece is a revolutionary treatment in the US, which costs at least £1 million. It involves a CAR T-cell therapy trial, a type of immunotherapy.
The finance boss said: "It is different to a transplant. It is revolutionary, we don't do it in the UK yet.
"She was diagnosed in July last year. They went away with her as a fit and healthy baby and then, the day after they arrived, she just went limp.
"We know what she's like but we've not been able to spend much time with her. As a family, we've missed out on the last 20 months of getting to know her and see her develop her personality of sorts.
"She's a lovely kid.
"It's rocked her parents Kim and Jamie; she's their one and only child. Nothing prepares you for these things. You always think it won't be you."
Hallie's parents Kim Wileman 29, and Jamie Reeve, 34, from Coventry, West Midlands, have set up a charity in their daughter's name, in addition to the fundraising page to help save her.
She's already undergone chemotherapy, and blood transfusions, in addition to the stem cell transplants.
Tom, of Coventry, continued: "We’re overwhelmed to see how the Coventry community has rallied around Hallie.
"We have local people running ultra-marathons, local businesses such as hairdressers, coffee shops and florists doing raffles, schools running non-uniform days and bake sales."
Other celebs who have donated to the appeal include Instagram cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch, reality stars Jess Wright, Ferne McCann, Vicky Pattison, Samantha Faiers, Dani Dyer, Olivia Bowen, Amy Childs, and Mark Wright.
Although JMML has leukaemia as part of its name, the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not classify it as a leukaemia. It's now included in a group of blood cancers called myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic disorders.
Birmingham Children's Hospital said: "Sadly, a third transplant isn't a current treatment option for Hallie, who has a rare form of leukaemia.
