The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Family hope to keep park festival going as Kinsley fights for life
AForfar toddler is to be baptised in hospital tomorrow as she “clings on to life” ahead of major 16hour surgery the following day.
Kinsley Mcmillan will travel to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh to prepare for her operation on Friday.
Kinsley was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour in September 2020, when she was just five months old.
Now 22 months, the toddler is preparing for the major surgery, which it is hoped will prolong her life.
Without it, doctors say she may only live for two or three months.
She was due to undergo surgery on January 5 but was too poorly for it to go ahead.
The operation was postponed until January 21 but her family say Kinsley is currently desperately ill and is fighting for her life.
She has already had crucial treatments and gruelling chemotherapy and last January almost died during surgery.
She spent another three months in hospital and the tumour has left Kinsley completely blind.
Ahead of Friday’s surgery Kinsley will be baptised in the hospital at 2pm tomorrow.
Her gran Karen Kennedy said: “Unfortunately the truth isn’t always beautiful but Kinsley is an unbelievable warrior.
“She is literally fighting for her life.
“We are aware of how vulnerable Kinsley is currently and with a delay in the operation every minute of every hour is scary.
“Kinsley’s been in pain, losing some ability to function due to the growth of the tumour and the pressures on her brain stem.”
She is currently at home in Forfar where she is being monitored and reviewed by her Dundee team of paediatrics staff.
Kinsley’s mum Eden, 21, said: “This is to allow Kinsley to stay at home where it is safest and to avoid catching any bugs in hospital.
“She wants to live, she’s clinging on and we are desperately waiting for Thursday to arrive.
“It is truly the worst seeing a baby in pain and being unable to control it for them.
“Friday is the soonest we can get Kinsley’s team together as there will be more than 30 medical staff working for up to 16 hours together to co-ordinate this surgery in the hospital operating theatre.
“It’s an absolutely huge undertaking for the hospital and obviously also for little Kinsley.”
The high-risk operation aims to remove 80% of the tumour, called an optic nerve glioma, from Kinsley’s brain.
“I’ve never seen such strength ever in a human being, ” Kinsley’s mum said.
She added: “On the flip side of the coin she’s still meeting some targets like the ‘terrible twos’, crying when she drops her ipod, and started nipping her big brother.
“We are so grateful to witness this and no one disciplines Kinsley – she’s the boss!
“As a family we are just living minute to minute right at the moment and we want to let little Kinsley know that we are all right behind her.
“I’ve never seen such incredible strength ever in a young child”
Meantime the family are continuing with plans for a charity fundraising event in Kinsley’s name, which people can donate to online.
Last year the family raised an incredible £14,000 for Tayside
Children with Cancer and Leukaemia (TCCL).
This year they are holding Party in the Park with Hats at Forfar Loch on April 16.
Karen said: “We will invite all Kinsley’s followers to join her at Forfar Loch wearing a hat to raise awareness of brain tumours.”
Money raised will go to Team Jak Foundation – a Livingston-based charity that provides practical, social and emotional support for the families of children with a brain tumour.
Karen said the charity was planning to open an
Aberdeen base and money would go towards that.
She said: “If the worst should happen, this will be Kinsley’s legacy.
“It would be amazing to think that money raised in her name would go to support other suffering families.”
Karen said the day will be family-orientated with lots of children’s activities.
There will also be a presence from Team Jak to raise awareness of the project hub in Aberdeen.
Various local musicians will be playing over the course of the day with Forfar singer That Girl Gail being the headline act.