Little fighter Mila sends best wishes to special friend Kate

A CHILD cancer victim whose battle was championed by the Princess of Wales has sent a touching get-well message to her royal heroine.

Mila Sneddon, eight, who fought acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she was just four and featured in Kate’s “Hold Still” photography book about the pandemic, is busy making a card for her this weekend.

The friendship between them remains strong and, just as the Princess supported the little girl and her family through their darkest times, Mila has told her: “You are not alone.”

Her mother Lynda broke the news on Friday night that the Princess was also suffering from cancer.

And yesterday Lynda declared: “We are deeply saddened hearing the news about Catherine – a kind caring soul who has always championed Mila both during and after her treatment.

“Mila is equally sad to hear this news and will reach out privately in her own way.”

Mila’s sister Jodi, 20, who is a third year university student in Glasgow, said: “As soon as we heard the news I spoke to my mum, who told me that she had shared the news with Mila.they were both shocked and sad. My sister will send a card that she wants to make herself, wishing Catherine well.

“Mila knows that Catherine will be brave like her. My mum also commended her bravery in speaking out about her personal health challenges.

“Our last contact with Catherine was when we received a Christmas card. To think she was already ill then feels poignant now.” Kate first reached out to the Sneddon family, who are from Falkirk, Scotland, when she saw a photo of Mila waving to her dad through a window.

It had been posted on social media by Lynda near the start of the pandemic.

Lynda was staying with her little girl at the family’s home while dad Scott lived separately to shield the youngster while she had gruelling, intensive chemotherapy.

Not only can the treatment attack the body’s defence systems, making it more susceptible to infections, but Covid was rampant at the time.

The heartbreaking image of the four-yearold waving to her dad captured Kate’s heart and became one of the 100 images included in Kate’s book Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020.

The Princess was keen to meet the brave little girl and during a phone call between the pair when they were arranging a date, cheeky Mila requested that Kate wear pink like a real Disney princess.

True to her word, Kate was in a floaty pink dress from the designer Me+em, paired with a pair of soft pink pointed-toe heels when they met for tea at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in May 2021.

But she had to wear a face mask, too, to protect her guest.

Mila was also a perfect princess in a pale pink dress, matching shoes and even a tiny crown.

At the meeting, attended by Mila’s parents and sister, Kate walked into the room and said: “Hi Mila, look at you! I want to give you a big squeezy cuddle, it’s so nice to meet you in person!”

But because of social distancing restrictions, the pair were forced to sit several feet apart.

It was one of two encounters between Mila and Kate in 2021. Later they met at Kate’s Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in December, when the

‘Mila knows Kate will be brave like her’

Sneddon family were invited to join the royals.

Lynda said that Catherine had a “gentle soul” and made Mila feel comfortable during their meetings.

She added: “Those moments made Mila feel really special and it was a good distraction from her treatment.” Sister Jodi said: