Who was Jessica Whelan, what is neuroblastoma and how common is the childhood cancer?
Read the story of how a brave four-year-old touched the nation and raised awareness of a cruel disease
JESSICA Whelan, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma in July 2015.
She sadly passed away on 20 November 2016 -- but not after raising money and awareness for the heartbreaking childhood cancer.
How did her struggle touch the nation?
The brave four-year-old's fight for life went viral when her photographer dad posted a tragic photograph of her which he described as "the true face of cancer".
Andy used the painful image, which he said “needed to be seen”, to raise awareness of the struggle that his daughter and so many other children undergo in battling the disease.
The photo brought her plight to the attention of the nation, reaching more than half a million people in just 24 hours.
But the target was smashed within hours of their story spreading, which helped to raise an incredible £97,000 for the family.
Tragically, Jessica passed away just a few weeks later.
Dad Andy wrote: “I feel both sadness and relief in informing you all that Jessica finally found peace at seven o’clock this morning.
"No longer does she suffer, no longer does she feel the pain of the physical constraints of her body.
“Now my princess has grown her angel wings and has gone up to play with her friends and loved ones.”
What is neuroblastoma and how common is it?
Jessica was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2015 when she went for a scan after falling and hurting her shoulder.
She was initially diagnosed with an infection and inflammation of the bone and was prescribed antibiotics, but received the devastating news after months with no improvement.
An ultrasound scan found a growth around her liver and kidneys.
The disease is a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children.
Neuroblastoma most commonly occurs in one of the adrenal glands situated above the kidneys, or in the nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, tummy or pelvis, according to NHS Choices.
It can spread to other organs such as the bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin.
It affects around 100 children each year in the UK and is most common in children under the age of five.
The cause is unknown. There are very rare cases where children in the same family are affected, but generally neuroblastoma doesn't run in families.
What are the symptoms of neuroblastoma?
- A swollen painful tummy, sometimes in association with constipation and difficulty passing urine
- Breathlessness and difficulty swallowing
- A lump in the neck
- Blueish lumps in the skin and bruising, particularly around the eyes
- Weakness in the legs and an unsteady walk, with numbness in the lower body, constipation and difficulty passing urine
- Fatigue, loss of energy, pale skin, loss of appetite and weight loss
- Bone pain, a limp and general irritability
- Rarely, jerky eye and muscle movements
Source: NHS
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