Family raise cash to take Plumstead two-year-old with brain cancer to Disneyland (From News Shopper)

Family raise cash to take Plumstead two-year-old with brain cancer to Disneyland

12:00pm Sunday 30th September 2012 in News By Mark Chandler

A FAMILY whose two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain tumour are raising funds to take her to Disneyland.

Isabella Coomber family's suspicions were aroused when, at 10 months, she was unable to sit up without help. But despite extensive tests, doctors found no problem with her.

However, following more hospital visits, the child was eventually diagnosed last December with a cancerous brain tumour

Mum Jolene Hale, 31, said: "After meeting her cancer doctor, the first thing he told us was that most children with this tumour do not survive.

"Only 1 in every 900,000 children get this. We were told she had a high grade tumour, which meant it grows fast."

In January the little girl, from Pattison Walk in Plumstead, needed to have a shunt and drain fitted because the tumour was stopping her brain fluid from being drained away naturally.

Now Isabella undergoes regular chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden hospital in Sutton, with an appointment every three weeks.

She said: "We call her the little lion because she's a little fighter. If she had hair you wouldn't know she had anything wrong with her."

The mum-of-three is raising money to fulfil her five-year-old daughter Rebecca's wish of taking Isabella and the family to Disneyland. She also hopes to set up a charity to help children in the same situation as Isabella.

So far, through cake sales, a jumble sale and a fun day they have managed to raise £3,400 but are hoping to get around £12,000 in total.

Ms Hale said: "We will beat this and we won't forget the people who helped get us through it all. We're looking forward to the remission party."

If you can help email jolenehale@live.co.uk