Wigan family's heartbreak as 'beautiful' two-year-old girl dies from cancer

Despite her tender age, Alice-Rae Gray bravely fought neuroblastoma but sadly died at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on August 2.

She leaves behind her heartbroken parents Natalie Sargeant and Callum Gray and her brothers Jack, Callen, Kyron and Oakley-Jay.

“About seven weeks ago we got told there was a tumour in her mouth and there was nothing they could do for her. She had a biopsy and she deteriorated from there.

“On August 2 at 12.55am, we lost her.”

Alice-Rae, who lived in Norley, loved Peppa Pig and the Minions, as well as dogs.

Popular children’s characters will form part of the procession to her funeral, which will be held at 1pm on Monday at St John the Divine’s Parish Church in Pemberton.

Mrs Gray said: “She was a right little madam. She had a fierce temper on her. She was so funny, really loving and always smiling - all the way through the treatment she smiled.

“We had her Christened on the Thursday before she passed in hospital and even then she was wide awake and really alert. Even though she was in pain, she was giving us high fives and wanting to sit on our knees.

“She was full of mischief. Some of the nurses were frightened to death of her because she used to growl at them.”

After months of watching the tot battle neuroblastoma, her family is, of course, devastated to be saying goodbye.

Mrs Gray said: “We are bearing up okay. The children are being really strong. We just feel angry if anything, angry at the world. Why her?”

After Alice-Rae’s diagnosis, people across Wigan took the toddler into their hearts and raised more than £10,000 to help her family pay the bills as they cared for her.

A further £3,000 has already been donated to help pay for her funeral.

There are now plans to create a memorial garden for Alice-Rae and a fund-raising appeal has been launched at the Springfield Hotel, where family friend Gemma O’Neill works.

People are asked to make a donation of at least £1 and tie a yellow ribbon to railings outside the pub in memory of the tot.

They are also selling pin badges and little yellow duck key rings.

Landlady Wendy Hart said: “From next week you will be able to purchase a daffodil bulb from the pub for £3, and plant it in memory of this beautiful little girl, who was one of our own, and as daffodils bloom each year so will our memory of this now little angel, Alice-Rae. All money raised will be given to Alice-Rae’s family for them to build a memorial garden for their beautiful little girl.”

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