Whatever life threw at her, little Daisy Taylor 'smiled throughout at all'. And she went through so much in such a short space of time.
After suffering two heart-breaking miscarriages, parents Toni and Lance, of Hurstead, Rochdale, decided to try once more to have a child. And they were delighted when they found out they would be having a daughter, who they named Daisy.
But throughout her short life Daisy suffered a number of health problems. After a difficult birth she was diagnosed with cancer, which she recovered from, only to be hit by a lung infection. Tragically she died shortly after her second birthday holding hands with mummy and daddy as they said their goodbyes. You can donate to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity in Daisy's memory here.
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Lance, 45, said: "She was so brave and amazing, she was my absolute hero. Everything was always so fun with her.
"She went through so much in her life. It was unthinkable really, but she just got on with it. She was our little warrior. She was my everything and she was so brave."
Toni, 43, added: "She was constantly in hospital having needles and all sorts of things but she took it all in her stride. She smiled throughout it all.
"But she was determined too. If she didn’t want to do something, she’d let you know about it. If there was one perfect word to sum up Daisy it would be 'feisty'."
Daisy was born on April 28, 2019. But Toni's labour had to be induced, as scans had shown there was a problem with blood flow. When she was a few days old she was showing signs of Down’s syndrome and sepsis but the more pressing matter was that she still hadn’t passed her first bowel movement.
An all over body examination by a nurse revealed she had been born without a fully formed anus, so unfortunately the movement was trapped inside her, making her ill. Toni said: "She was blue-lighted straight to Saint Mary's Hospital in Manchester and had an emergency operation to have a colostomy bag fitted.
"Immediately after the operation she was a completely different baby – she was a pinker colour, she looked much healthier and you could tell she was happier. That operation saved her life.
"After a traumatic birth, an operation at two days old, and then the Down's syndrome being confirmed she went through quite a start in life."
After 21 days in hospital, Daisy was finally allowed home and was able to spend time with her two older siblings Ellie, now 15 and Ethan, now 12, who are Toni's children from a previous relationship. She was fed through a feeding tube and dieticians, speech and language therapists, a stoma nurse and community nurses regularly visited the house.
When her parents started to try weaning off the tube, one of Daisy's favourite treats was chocolate custard. Toni said: "There is a picture of her that always makes me laugh.
"She has a little chocolate custard goatie beard and she's staring at me because the pot was finished and there was no more left. She just looks disgusted with me that I didn’t have any more for her."
In June 2020 Daisy had a major operation to have her colon reconstructed and an anus properly created so she was able to go to the toilet naturally. Four months later Lance and Toni married in Cyprus, a holiday they now treasure more than ever thanks to the memories they shared with Daisy.
It seemed most Daisy's medical problems were behind her, but just a few months later in February 2021 Toni and Lance noticed a tiny 'pin-prick' type rash. At first, they feared meningitis but doctors at her local A&E suspected leukaemia.
Toni said: "We were sent straight to the oncology unit at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where they confirmed she had acute myeloid leukaemia. Lance was in absolute pieces. We were both devastated, but when it came to Daisy I think I was always the stronger one."
Lance, 45, said: "I was heartbroken, but Daisy just kept on smiling throughout. Every picture we have of her in hospital she is smiling."
Daisy underwent chemotherapy, which wasn't as effectives as doctors hoped, and a bone marrow transplant, which worked. But shortly after the transplant, Daisy developed an infection in her lungs called parainfluenza.
Toni said: "After that her personality really did change. It was difficult to get a smile or a laugh out of her. She was on a lot of medication and you could tell it was taking a lot out of her.
"The nursing staff were absolutely incredible with her though. They made a difficult time that little bit easier because they were just so good.
"We are so grateful to all of the oncology staff, the nurses, the consultants and specialists, the play staff and everyone on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit who cared so much for our beautiful Daisy…even Mr Fraser Horwood who had performed her surgeries in 2020 who still came and visited our Daisy all throughout her leukaemia journey."
Lance added: "I honestly don’t know how the hospital staff do what they do. They don’t just look after the children, they look after the families too."
Gradually Daisy started to deteriorate and she was transferred to paediatric intensive care. On the day she died, July 216, 2021, Lance and Toni were given a few hours to prepare themselves before the machines keeping Daisy alive were turned off.
Toni said: "I sang this 'Daisy Daisy' song to her. It was something I sang to her a lot and it annoyed her, but it was our little joke.
"Saying goodbye that day was the hardest thing ever, but afterwards I spent time sat with her in the funeral home. That was so peaceful, I found that really comforting."
Lanced added: "I hate thinking about the day she died. I still can't get over the fact she has gone.
"She was always a lively character and I'll always remember the amazing times we had together. She had me wrapped around her little finger and she knew she could get whatever she wanted from me.
"I'll always smile when I think of her dancing to the Dancing Fruit on YouTube or A-ha's Take On Me. She loved that one and we played it at her funeral."
Since her death Daisy continues to inspire her friends and family, who have done all they can to raise money for Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Charity. Between them they've taken on Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, a charity football match, and walking the bulk of the Rochdale Way in 24 hours.
In the meantime, the family are busy planning the next fundraiser – a charity night at Rochdale Sports Club next year. To date they've raised £10,825.15.
Donna O’Reilly, from the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Charity, said: "The fact the family have taken on fundraising in her memory with such enthusiasm is really inspiring. Raising more than £10,000 for our charity is fantastic and this money will enable us to carry on our lifesaving and life-changing work for the 280,000 young patients who visit Royal Manchester Children's Hospital each year.
"We can't thank Toni and Lance enough for everything they have done and continue to do."
You can donate to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity in Daisy's memory here. To find out more about the Rochdale charity night on 11 th February 2023, email toniaustin12@icloud.com.
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