Community rallies round Wigan youngster battling cancer to help her and her family make memories

Molly Fleming was first diagnosed with Ependymoma grade three, which is a form of aggressive brain tumor, at four years old.

The 10-year-old from Beech Hill was flown with her parents and siblings to Florida for proton beam therapy and it took the illness into remission.

Two years later the cancer returned and came back again in April, after which her parents Claire Grundy and Paul Fleming were told the prognosis wasn’t good.

Claire said: “She’s actually doing really well with her treatment.

"Its etoposide chemotherapy but its intraventricular so it goes directly into her spinal fluids and doesn’t affect her blood.

"So there is no hair loss, no sickness, no side-effects really.

"To look at her, you wouldn’t even realise she’s been through cancer treatment twice before and is going through it again.

"She actually looks like a happy, healthy little girl, she’s full of life.

"She has treatment Monday to Friday which she does for two weeks and then has a week break.

"We’re now into the second part of her treatment which is the same again and in the week break she’ll have a scan to see if it has shrunk any of the tumours she currently has.

"In her last surgery they were only able to remove one and there were another four or five that they couldn’t get out.

"We hope this treatment will have shrunk them or that there is no change and there aren’t any new tumours.

“Molly’s at the stage now were we are doing everything we can to make sure they don’t pop up.

"The prognosis for Molly isn’t good."

The Beech Hill community along with Coun Phyllis Cullen are hosting a carnival at Mesnes Park on Sunday July 16 from 11am to 4pm to raise money for the family.

Claire says she feels humbled that people are doing this for her family.

She said: “Phyllis Cullen along with Lisa Sedgwick, Linda Greenough and a few others on the team, know Molly from being ill last time and the time before and wanted to help raise funds, as now as our doctor said we need to make memories.

"They want to raise money so we can go on holidays, days out and things like that.

"Its a huge family day with inflatables, fair rides and face painting, there’s a lot going on.

"Its very humbling and we’re very grateful for all the support.

"Its a difficult time and very surreal because Molly looks so well.

"People are really pushing to make the biggest fund day and raise as much money as they can to support us.

"Lisa said ‘we’re a community and a family we always pull together and do for our own when its needed’.

"Its amazing, it takes a lot of pressure off me and Molly’s dad who is out of work for the third time.

“Its a big support knowing we’ve got money there to take the kids out and make sure bills are paid.

"Cancer doesn’t just affect the child, it affects the family and finances.

"It consumes your whole life.”