Lucy's father shared a touching tribute to his daughter on her fundraising facebook page. Photo / Facebook, Lucy's Pineapple Fund.
Lucy's father shared a touching tribute to his daughter on her fundraising facebook page. Photo / Facebook, Lucy's Pineapple Fund.
A ten-year-old girl has died after a battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
Lucy Moroney, from Heswall, Merseyside, was diagnosed with DIPG - Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma - in July 2017, reports The Daily Mail.
The cancer currently has a zero per cent survival rate in the UK and Lucy's family took her to Monterrey, Mexico, for pioneering treatment after receiving NZ$86,500 (£45,000) in donations.
On Tuesday her family said the little girl was "struggling and nearing the end of her life journey"and announced yesterday that Lucy had sadly died.
Her devastated father Joe wrote on Facebook page Lucy's Pineapple fund: "Lucy, when you were born almost 11 years ago, Mummy and I (mainly Mummy) chose your name, knowing the meaning of it was light. Your light burnt very brightly my darling.
"Having witnessed Mummy and your sister Ruby take their last breaths six years ago, it was traumatic and heart-breaking once again to witness you do the same, even with nearly 16 months advanced warning.
"But as painful as it was to experience, I wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else my gorgeous baby. You were a dream daughter, absolute perfection.
"You never complained at all during your treatment and you amazed me with your strength, bravery and grace.
"You were beautiful inside and out, and I'm going to miss your beaming smile, your amazing sense of humour and your perfect sensitive soul."
"I'll never get over losing you, but I'll also never get over loving you. I'll miss you my beautiful princess and miss our special, special bond."
Lucy's diagnosis in 2017 came five years after her mother Nicola, 33, died from a cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed heart-condition while sitting at home watching TV in 2012.
Nicola was 24 weeks pregnant with the couple's third daughter Ruby at the time who sadly only lived for 14 hours.
To my baby Lucy:
Lucy, when you were born almost 11 years ago, Mummy and I (mainly Mummy) chose your name, knowing the...
Daughter Amy, now eight, was two at the time and Lucy was four.
Speaking in October 2017 father Joe, who owns a media company in Merseyside, said: 'I couldn't fight for Nicola - I am going to fight as hard as I can for Lucy.
"Lucy is so much like her mum, she is always smiling.
"It is the worst type of tumour a child can get. It will affect her sight, her breathing, her movement.
"But even now with her symptoms getting worse, she keeps smiling and she is so positive."
Three years after the trauma of losing Nicola, Joe met his girlfriend Claire Evans, 30, who gave birth to their son Max just before Lucy's diagnosis.
Father Joe said it was heartbreaking to see Lucy die six years after losing his wife and baby. Photo / Facebook, Lucy's Pineapple Fund
DIPGs are aggressive tumours that originate in the brainstem and affect a number of critical bodily functions such as breathing, sight, blood pressure and coordination.
As the tumours grow, children remain totally aware as their bodies gives up.
The tumour is inoperable because the cancer cells are intertwined with healthy cells in the pons - the part of the brain responsible for controlling bodily functions.
Currently a DIPG diagnosis has a nine-month prognosis and zero per cent survival rate in the UK.
While she was receiving treatment in Mexico, Lucy wrote a book "The Spider and the Whale."
The 32-page picture book was inspired by an incident in the bathroom when Lucy saw her mummy flush a spider down the toilet.
Her family said: 'We intend to become a charity in the near future and work to raise much-needed awareness of DIPG.
"The Spider and the Whale will make a great stocking filler and by buying Lucy's book, you will be helping us with our goal. It will be Lucy's legacy."
