Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Little girl who faces 84 weeks of chemo

TWO-YEAR-OLD WAS STRUGGLING WITH BALANCE BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE BRAIN TUMOUR

- By JESS GRIEVESON-SMITH editorial@examiner.co.uk @examiner

LITTLE Isobel Windget is faced with the horrendous prospect of 84 weeks of chemothera­py after her loss of balance turned out to be a brain tumour.

The warrior tot has already endured 12-and-a-half hours of surgery on her brain stem, but as some of the tumour still remains, she’ll require the intense treatment.

Godmother Becca Casey, from Holmfirth, has appealed to the local community in a bid to raise funds to keep Isobel’s family afloat while the two-year-old battles the tumour.

While benign, the tumour has continued to grow in a dangerous position, leaving the family no choice but to now take the chemothera­py being offered.

After initially having problems with her sight and balance, it wasn’t until

Isobel had an MRI that the tumour was found.

Becca said: “Initially, they were only going to do an 84-week treatment plan of chemothera­py.

“I say only, but it was instead of the open brain surgery.

“But they eventually decided to do the surgery too, in an attempt to get rid of it.”

The tumour had begun to grow quicker, causing pressure on the brain stem, leaving the chemothera­py unable to keep up.

Despite the quick interventi­on on April 1, surgeons were unable to remove all of Izzy’s tumour and the little girl has been on a turbulent journey.

Diagnosed at the end of March, Isobel underwent a brain biopsy at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, but needed to be on a ventilator after developing a pulmonary oedema on her lungs.

The situation worsened as Isobel

Our hearts are breaking

every step of this journey - a journey no parent should ever

have to face

had to be placed in an induced coma. Mum Lauren said: “She’s being an absolute warrior, but her little body has had to take so much.

“Her body stresses and her heart rate become dangerousl­y high so she has to remain sedated and on ventilator between X-rays, CTs, EEGs, antibiotic­s and anti-virals.

“Yet she’s shown us she’s very much her cheeky self.

“When the nurse got her torch out to check her pupils, Isobel clocked it and shut her eyes so tight, she was having absolutely none of it, hating the bright lights.

“Our hearts are breaking every step of this journey – a journey no parent should ever have to face. It’s truly a living nightmare rollercoas­ter from hell! From Becca’s fundraiser, we plan mostly on using it doing things with the kids.

“A zoo trip to see the tigers is number one on our list for Isobel when they finally reopen and she’s well enough to go. I think family days out are going to be exactly what the kids will need.

“Making the best memories during the long and uncertain journey we all have ahead and it means the absolute world to us that we’re going to be able to do these things.”

To donate to Izzy’s fund you can go to her fundraisin­g page at gofundme. com.

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