A young Tayside girl will undergo a major operation next week to remove a rapidly-growing brain tumour.
Sophie Gray’s family are praying it will be a success but have been warned about the possible implications for the youngster from Arbroath.
Dad Mark said: “Hopefully, all goes well but the list of complications and implications are immense.
“It has been extremely stressful for everybody involved in Sophie’s life but we don’t let it get us down as she certainly doesn’t.
“She is still smiling as always. We can only hope and pray that the operation is a success.”
The Warddykes Primary pupil, who turns eight on Sunday, was initially diagnosed with a benign tumour in May 2014 after she began suffering from migraines.
Sophie was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, where she underwent five operations and two biopsies over a six and a half week period.
A shunt was inserted to drain away any fluid, along with a button into the top of her skull with six-monthly MRI checks put in place after she returned home.
Although the tumour is benign, it was deemed inoperable because it is located close to major blood vessels and the optic nerves.
However, the gradual growth of the tumour means surgeons in Edinburgh have no choice but to operate and attempt to remove as much of it as possible.
Mark said: “Recently her shunt failed and she was readmitted to hospital to fix this, which it now has.
“We found out that the tumour had been gradually growing, through the MRIs that Sophie had been getting.
“She eventually showed signs of sore heads and sickness but not to the scale of what they were like previously.
“The operation is very complex and they are going to try and take out as much as possible then what happens after that, only time will tell.”
Parents Mark and Sarah, who have four other children, have praised all the staff in ward 7 and everyone at Sophie’s school for their support.
Mark said: “The school have been very understanding with the time she has had off. The surgeons and doctors/nurses in ward 7 have all been great with everything.”
Last year, Mark raised £1,315 after being waxed by beauty students at Dundee and Angus College after deciding to raise money for CLIC Sargent.
He said the charity has been a fantastic help to the family.