Our courageous and kind-hearted 11-year-old Sophia has been recently diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the eye. She lost her sight in the right eye, and since her diagnosis, Sophia’s life has changed rapidly and dramatically. She was originally mis-diagnosed with Coats Disease, another rare eye condition, and she even underwent surgery in May this year based on that diagnosis. Sadly, from there, the symptoms got worse, and further investigations revealed the devastating truth: it was not Coats Disease, but a rapidly growing malignant tumour. Doctors immediately began an aggressive course of chemotherapy to fight the cancer and save her life.

Her journey has already been long, painful and deeply unfair, and her End of year 6 celebrations have been transformed into a chemotherapy nightmare.

Sophia is now being treated at Nottingham Children's Hospital and Birmingham Children's Hospital, and sometimes must travel to Oxford Eye Hospital for specialised care. These frequent trips to and from the hospital are emotionally exhausting and financially demanding.

We are raising funds to support her and our family during this incredibly difficult time. The money will go to:

• Travel and accommodation costs for treatment in multiple cities.

• Lost income, as we had to give up work to care for Sophia and her 6-year-old brother.

• Well-being and emotional support for Sophia during and after the treatment, to be able to offer her some fun and a good time.

• Day-to-day expenses

We also want to raise awareness!!!!

If caught early, retinoblastoma has a higher chance of successful treatment. Sophia’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of regular eye checks for children. If sharing her story encourages even one parent to ask more questions or get a second opinion, it will make a difference.

We will commit to donating 25% of the funds raised to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust to assist their research into this very rare form of cancer. Sophia is fighting with everything she has. Please help us support her, spread the word, and give hope to other families facing the unknown.

Thank you so much for your love, prayers, support, and generosity!