Ellie

Our daughter Ellie was first diagnosed with T‑cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (T‑ALL) on 31 October 2015. She was only four years old. Hearing those words changed our world in an instant.

Ellie went through two and a half years of treatment, showing more bravery than we ever thought possible in someone so small. When she finally finished treatment, we allowed ourselves to breathe again. For seven wonderful years, Ellie remained in remission, growing, laughing, and living the childhood she had fought so hard to reclaim.

On 26 March 2025, everything shifted again. Ellie went for what we thought would be a simple chest X‑ray. Instead, doctors found a mass in the centre of her chest. After seven years cancer‑free, Ellie had relapsed.

Her second battle began immediately. She started with a five‑week treatment block, followed by a planned twelve weeks of intense therapy. Ellie completed six weeks before we received news that gave us both hope and fear: a stem cell donor match had been found.

Her stem cell transplant took place on 24 July 2025. In the eight days leading up to it, Ellie underwent harsh conditioning therapy chemotherapy and radiotherapy to prepare her body. She then spent four weeks in Ward 3, known as “the bubble,” followed by five weeks in Ward 4 before we were finally able to bring her home.

But after just four nights back in her own bed, Ellie was rushed back into hospital with unexplained high temperatures, leading to another five‑week stay.

Watching your child endure something like this is impossible to put into words. Yet through every setback, every needle, every night in hospital, Ellie has shown a strength that inspires everyone around her. She is our hero.

Her journey is a powerful reminder of why support for families facing childhood cancer matters so deeply.