A one-year-old girl from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumour after a friend noticed a slight tilt in her head. Elissa Hilsden, 30, initially took her daughter Capri to the doctor following the friend's observation, but was told the symptoms were likely due to a virus or ear infection.
After a course of antibiotics failed to resolve the issue, and Ms Hilsden noticed a 'vacant' look in Capri's right eye, she sought further medical help. A CT scan at Bedford Hospital revealed an Embryonal Tumour with Multilayered Rosettes (ETMR), a rare and highly aggressive form of childhood brain cancer.
Capri was transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where she underwent a 12-hour operation on November 18 to remove the tumour. Surgeons were able to remove around 80% of the growth, but the family was warned that without further removal, they might have as little as two months left with their daughter.
Following complications including sepsis, Capri was moved to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where surgeons used an intra-operative MRI scanner to remove more of the tumour. She is now undergoing chemotherapy and remains in hospital with her parents, Elissa and Anthony, 35.
The family spent Christmas at Addenbrooke's Hospital and have launched a fundraiser to cover costs during Capri's treatment. Ms Hilsden urged other parents to trust their instincts: 'I really just felt that something wasn't right. If you feel something is wrong, keep pushing.'
