Girl, ten, diagnosed with 'shock' brain tumour after eye test on summer holiday

A ten-year-old girl was diagnosed with a large brain tumour after an eye test during a summer holiday.

Lydia, from the Isle of Harris, was admitted to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow in July last year after she started having headaches.

The family had been travelling up and down the country in their caravan when her parents noticed she was turning her head and favouring one eye.

After an eye test in Stirling showed fluid behind her eyes, Lydia and her family were shocked to discover she was suffering from a large brain tumour.

Lydia was diagnosed with a brain tumour after an eye test. Royal Hospital for Children

The family were sent to Forth Valley Hospital, where she had a CT scan before she was rushed to Glasgow for emergency surgery.

A further surgery was then completed a few days later to remove as much of the tumour as possible.

The ten-year-old began an intense period of chemotherapy on the hospital’s Schiehallion Ward after being diagnosed with a rare type of chondrosarcoma.

She has had ten rounds of chemotherapy and 42 sessions of radiotherapy since being diagnosed.

Her mum, Peigi, said: “She has shown incredible courage and strength for a ten-year-old girl and has been through more in the last six months than some people go through in a lifetime.”

Her mum has praised their community on the Isle of Harris for their kindness and support and thanked the hospital staff in Glasgow.

She said: “The community in Harris have been a phenomenal support to us since Lydia became unwell. I would usually be involved in a charity step challenge a couple of times a year, and Lydia would often join me on my walks, but our friends have done a few challenges for our family now, and Lydia decided that Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity should receive the proceeds from this latest challenge.

“The first ‘Legs Go for Lydia’ was completed last September, where teams walked the equivalent distance from Harris to Glasgow and back, with an awards ceremony and raffle to mark the end of the challenge.

“A huge rainbow Highland cow teddy was one of the raffle prizes, and our friend Donna came up with the idea of the teddy being kept in the community and passed around Lydia’s friends, as a way to keep a link with home and cheer Lydia up during her time in Glasgow. Lydia got to name the cow and came up with ‘Hallie’ – after Schiehallion.

“Hallie has become a bit of a local celebrity now and almost everyone in the community has been involved in her various adventures!

“She has been everywhere on the island, and she even made it to Glasgow for a week while Lydia was having chemotherapy over Christmas.

“Hallie is still going on a new adventure every week and Lydia loves getting regular updates, pictures and videos of her antics.

“It’s been a great way for people at home to support Lydia and we love seeing the fun and creative ideas people come up with each week.

“In December, Lydia turned on the Christmas lights (virtually!) in Tarbert on Harris. She was asked to choose a charity for locals to support on the night, and she chose Crossbasket House, and an amazing £700 was raised!

“A second Legs go for Lydia challenge was completed in January of this year, when an incredible £1,460 was raised.”

Peigi added: “The support we have had from everyone in Harris has been above and beyond what we could have ever imagined.

“They have been incredibly generous, and we are so grateful to have such a caring and supportive community behind us.”