A toddler who developed a limp and nausea was told her illness was due to her having previously had Covid-19. However parents of the little girl were in for a shock when doctors realised it was a brain tumour, which is thought to have been present since birth.
Lola from Sherburn-in-Elmet experienced symptoms including a limp and head tilt, which led to the little girl's speech being affected. The two-year-old was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma on February 17 this year.
Lola's mum Jessica Hunt, 26, noticed the odd patterns in her daughter's behaviour. As reported by Yorkshire Live Lola also began "acting very confused", sleeping often and suffering from vomiting episodes.
Jessica said: "We’d been told numerous times this was a result of having had Covid-19, but as a mum, instincts suggested there was something more serious underlying." One night after Lola began fitting and vomiting, Jessica and her partner Luke sought urgent help.
X-rays and blood tests all came back clear until doctors did an MRI on Lola's brain. They found the tumour on the left stem of her brain which had grown to be 5cm.
"They discovered the tumour, which they believed had been there since birth," said Jessica. "Our hearts were shattered."
Lola was rushed from York to Leeds General Infirmary where the family waited while neurosurgeons assessed whether they could operate. They were initially unsure, as the tumour sat on the part of the brain which controls breathing, which may have made removing it too risky.
Eventually, they decided there was no other option but to operate. Jessica said: "Although the risks were life-changing, operating massively outweighed the option of leaving the tumour where it was as Lola was deteriorating before our very eyes."
Lola was closely monitored over the weekend, then on the Monday, just three days after her diagnosis, Lola underwent a fifteen-hour brain surgery. Jessica said: “As parents, all we could hope for was to see Lola breathing."
The next day, Jessica and Luke were told that Lola’s surgery had gone well and surgeons had removed 90-95 per cent of the tumour. Removing any more would have been too dangerous as it could have damaged other areas of Lola’s brain.
Jessica recalled: "Lola was understandably very distressed from the tubes, swelling and pain but she was out of surgery, so we were elated. We were now at the start of the road to recovery."
While Lola was closely monitored in the high dependency unit for the next few weeks, Jessica and her partner Luke went back and forth from the hospital and their home, where they were caring for their baby boy, who was just six months old. After the biopsy results came back, they were told that as long as the parts of the tumour left behind during surgery did not grow back, the tumour should not pose a threat to Lola.
Just when her condition was beginning to improve, things took a turn for the worse for poor Lola. The tot was back in hospital just a week later because of an infection.
Jessica said: "Lola was re-admitted just seven days after she was discharged, after suffering an infection in her brain believed to be meningitis. The fluid from her brain had not been draining correctly, causing a sack to fill at the front of her head."
Lola underwent a lumbar puncture procedure which was unsuccessful, and then needed another procedure to be fitted with a drain that stemmed from her spinal cord into a bag. This had to be monitored around the clock.
Jessica and Luke were informed that if the bag failed to work, Lola would be fitted with a shunt permanently. "Defying all the odds, Lola built herself back up and her body eventually learnt to drain the CSF fluid, meaning she could come off the apparatus," said Jessica.
"As a family we are incredibly grateful to all the neurosurgeons, nurses, doctors, therapists and family members who have helped Lola on the road to recovery." For Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, Jessica decided to share her daughter's story in the hopes of raising awareness of the symptoms.
“We hope sharing her story will inspire others, hopefully lead to quicker diagnosis of brain tumours and shed light on the brilliant work of Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity. Lola is now recovering well and with plenty of therapy is thriving as our little ray of sunshine.
"She is the ultimate fighter and an inspiration. Although Lola will require frequent MRIs for the rest of her life, we are hopeful that the tumour will not grow and Lola can go on to live a full, happy life."
Jessica has praised Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity (YBTC), which offered the family a grant to help with travel expenses and loss of work as well as health support and a further financial bursary. They were also invited to family fun days and special events run by the charity which Lola thoroughly enjoyed.
Marie Peacock, CEO of Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity, said: "While the symptoms of brain tumours can vary greatly, children and young people tend to experience persistent vomiting, headaches, balance problems, issues with vision, and seizures. Spotting the symptoms early on is key to ensuring the cancer is found before it spreads further, leading to more options for treatment and a better chance of survival.”
To find out more about the signs and symptoms of brain tumours, go to the charity's website here. To help YBTC continue offering support and funding research to find a cure, text CCAM to 70460 to donate £1.
