Polly's Story
For a child with cancer, when you’re in and out of hospital, Easter can feel like any other time of year, full of upset and discomfort.
When she was just 14 months old, Polly was diagnosed with an optic pathway glioma, a type of cancer that causes tumours to grow on the nerve that sends messages from the eye to the brain.
Polly was making frequent trips to Alder Hey hospital for treatment when she received a special delivery at home from Cancer Support UK. She was absolutely thrilled with the warmable teddy, which brought so much comfort at a time when she desperately needed it.
Polly has been on a rollercoaster since she was diagnosed. She was put on chemotherapy but despite the treatment, her tumour grew and she also developed sepsis. She was so ill and weak that her parents thought they might lose her.
But the little girl, who also has autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder, pulled through. But in 2021, a scan revealed that her tumour had grown again.
Polly has lost the sight in one eye so the aim of treatment is to save her vision as well as reduce the tumour.
Emily her mum describes Polly as a comedian with the biggest heart, a little girl who always tries to care for other children in hospital even when she’s poorly herself. But obviously there are days when she finds this harder than others,
Polly is now eight years old, a brave girl who’s only ever known a life of hospital visits and treatment.
If you can, please reach out to another child like Polly so we can send them a warm cuddle.
