'We are just so grateful that she is here. We have gone through everything we have to have her here with us this Christmas time.'
As little Ava excitedly opens her Christmas presents on Christmas morning, her devoted parents Charlene and Marc Le Blanc will be treasuring every magical second.
Tax manager Charlene said: “Nothing prepares you for the shock of getting news like that. We were told Ava had a 20 to 30% chance of surviving five years or more." Charlene, who was less than 12 weeks pregnant with son Leo, seven, at the time, says: " We were heartbroken.” During that time Ava had another MRI scan that showed another small mass in her brain. The doctors weren’t sure if it was left behind during the previous surgery or if it was a new tumour and little Ava was rushed into emergency surgery.
Once again Ava had surgery, and once again, it was revealed there was still a last bit of tumour remaining. Ava was immediately taken back to surgery to try and remove this piece. However, an MRI scan the following day showed there was still some of it remaining. The family agreed to take Ava to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital – 60 miles from their home – to use the specialist iMRI equipment there that could better pinpoint the remaining bit of tumour.
Charlene says: “Ava is a happy, cheerful little girl who always has a smile on her face. We were devastated when we learnt that the tumour had returned. Following more brain surgery and gruelling craniospinal radiotherapy, we are hopeful that the remaining tumour, which is now so small, will continue to shrink and that she won’t need any further treatment."
In fact, Ava is so inspirational, on a recent visit to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Peter Done, Founder and CEO of Peninsula Group, who have raised £2 million for the hospital, met her and was so dazzled by Ava, who shares the same name, age, and personality traits as his own granddaughter, decided then and there to pledge a further £1 million to their appeal, running through to 2023.
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