A Fife youngster who has bravely battled kidney cancer has had her amazing courage recognised with a special award.
Two days after her first birthday Georgia Hillman, from Dunfermline, was diagnosed with Wilm’s tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in August 2008.
But while her parents Ben and Ruth feared she might not see her second birthday, Georgia has shown amazing resilience.
Now Georgia, who is four years old, has been rewarded for the bravery she showed throughout her treatment with a special star-shaped trophy from Cancer Research UK.
Dad Ben nominated Georgia for the award as a Christmas surprise for the family.
Ben (37) said: ”Georgia has been in remission for two-and-a-half years now after being diagnosed with Wilm’s tumour two days after her first birthday.
”It was a birthday we feared would be her last but her courage and humour through numerous operations and chemotherapy was simply inspirational.”
He added: ”Quite simply, her strength got us through the year of treatment and operations.”
Georgia’s cancer was discovered after Ruth (36) noticed something was wrong when she was blowing raspberries on Georgia’s tummy.
Ruth took Georgia to see the family GP who referred her to a paediatrician at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
The following day Georgia was transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.
It was confirmed Georgia had a Wilm’s tumour, the most common form of kidney cancer in children. In Britain, around 85 children each year are diagnosed with Wilm’s tumour and similar kidney cancers.
”Georgia then had six weeks of very successful chemotherapy, shrinking the tumour from the size of a football to that of a satsuma,” Ben said.
”This was followed by keyhole surgery to remove the tumour and then a further six months of chemotherapy.”
He added, ”For Ruth and I to be able to say that she is our daughter makes us very, very proud indeed.”
Thanks to Cancer Research UK supporters, research is helping to transform the outlook for children with cancer. Today almost three quarters of children are cured, compared with around a quarter in the 1960s.
Now the charity is calling on the public to nominate a Little Star or donate to help fund the charity’s life-saving work.
Ben added: ”We hope that people will be inspired by Georgia to give generously to Cancer Research UK as we most certainly owe our daughter’s on-going recovery to the work of the charity’s scientists.”
Georgia also received a £50 gift card and certificate signed by celebrities including singer Leona Lewis, rapper Tinie Tempah, sporting heroes Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis as well as Harry Potter star Rupert Grint.
The Royal Hospital for Sick Children is one of 21 centres in the UK and Ireland taking part in research coordinated by Cancer Research UK’s Children’s Cancer Trials Team.
These trials make innovative new treatments available to children with cancer in Edinburgh.
Anyone wishing to nominate a Little Star or donate can visit
cancerresearchuk.org/littlestar
. The awards are open to all under 18s who have cancer or have been treated for the disease in the last five years.