Brave Edie completes first inoperable brain tumour treatment - but more funds are needed

Edie from Tranmere was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) last year and her family set up the Spider-Ede Appeal in an attempt to raise more than £300,000 for ground-breaking treatment in Monterrey.

So far more than £80,000 has been raised in online and offline donations, however, in order for Edie receive a full course of treatment, more money needs to be raised.

Spider Man fan Edie and family have moved to Mexico for three months while Edie undergoes the first wave of treatment – completing her first chemotherapy session on Monday, January 8.

Her mum Ashleigh told the Globe: “After a long 24 hours travelling we finally arrived at our rental apartment - very tired and very grumpy but relieved to be here.

“The first couple of days over the weekend we spent settling in to our new home for the next three months and getting over the jet lag.

“Monday came and emotions were high, the day had come, her first appointment here at the clinic in Monterrey.

“Steve (Edie's dad) and I were at loggerheads over the smallest thing.

“We decided the best thing for us all would be for Steve to take Edie to the hospital and I stay back looking after our other two children Niamh and Lenny.

“I didn’t feel emotionally strong enough to take Edie alone and besides Steve knows more of the medical information than I do.

“The hours passed, the children kept me busy but my mind was still elsewhere waiting for updates from Steve.

“The time come that she had been in for her MRI and Steve was told it is one of the larger tumours they have seen.

“This is gut-wrenching to hear but the doctors reassured us that they are positive the treatment will have good results.

“Edie went in for her first chemotherapy procedure and was back out after a couple of hours.

“Physical signs of the procedure were minimal - small puncture wound in her groin where they inserted the catheter to feed the tube up to the tumour intra arterially and deliver chemotherapy drugs direct.

“Another small puncture on her lower back where they performed a lumbar puncture and administered drugs into the spinal fluid to attack from both directions.

“When she came out she was exhausted and still dozy from the sedatives, Steve stayed with her in the hospital overnight.

“Morning came and once she had eaten she could come back to our temporary home.

“Niamh was so relieved to see her, she had said the previous evening when going to bed ‘I hope they aren’t doing hurt things to Edie, I miss her, we all miss daddy and Edie don’t we.’”

Edie and her sister Niamh going to the supermarket

While out in Mexico, Edie and her family have been welcomed with open arms.

Ashleigh added: “While we were keeping busy I had taken Niamh and Lenny into a nursery in the next building to our apartment block, we had a look around and played with some of the children.

“The owner had already heard our story.

“When I asked her to go through prices her reply was ‘no, no, you will not pay, we will be here to help you’.

“I was brought to tears how beautiful the people are, helping us out without a second thought.

“The lady Laura even brought us some shoes for Lenny, we left the UK in such a rush and hadn’t got round to buying him some here that he had none.

“Her nephew is a similar age and the next day Laura brought us two pairs of little shoes.

“These people are making this hard time a little easier to swallow.

“We have made some friends for life and hope Edie gets to grow up knowing these people.

“Since her treatment Edie has been suffering normal side effects; nausea, vomiting and nose bleeds.

“We now await her next follow up appointment towards the end of this month.”

Edie is yet to receive her first round of immunotherapy treatment which will cost £12,000.

To help Edie please donate https://chuffed.org/project/the-spider-ede-appeal

Keep up-to-date with Edie via The Spider-Ede Appeal website https://spider-ede-appeal.org.uk/