Elgin mum shaves head in support of daughter after devastating cancer diagnosis
A heartbroken mum from Elgin has shaved her head in solidarity with her young daughter who is undergoing intensive treatment for a rare form of cancer.
Eilidh Hendry (30) took her two-year-old daughter Lotus-Maeve to Elgin’s Maryhill Practice on Monday, February 10 after the toddler presented with a high temperature as well as a rash that had started to appear on her belly.
The tot was also experiencing nosebleeds but after a check-up her concerned mum was informed that she was most likely suffering from a virus and that if she got worse she should bring her back in to the practice.
She improved the following day and even returned to nursery later that week with her only symptom being some tiredness.
By Saturday, however, Eilidh’s world was turned upside down.
“I was just about to leave for work but she seemed a lot better,” Eilidh said.
“She kept saying that she was cold but when I gave her a cuddle she was absolutely roasting.
“I took her temperature and it was 39.9C and rising.
“I decided then that we were going to go straight to A&E because there was something severely wrong.
“I phoned ahead to say we were coming in and they kept saying they can’t give me medical advice.
“I wasn’t looking for medical advice so I told them we’re coming through that door whether they like it or not because my mum’s intuition was telling me something wasn’t right.
“We got straight through which was brilliant but we still had to wait and hour and a half before we got to see anybody at Dr Gray’s.”
While in the waiting room purple spots started appearing under Lotus-Maeve’s skin.
Eilidh informed a nurse and they were taken to the hospital’s children’s ward to have blood tests.
While waiting, like any concerned parent, Eilidh started to search online for her daughter’s symptoms.
“I typed them all in and it said leukaemia but in my head I was thinking I’m just being anxious and maybe it’s not that,” she said.
“I told the doctor that I had been Googling these things and I was thinking maybe she had cancer and he just looked at me and didn’t say anything.
“It was at that point that I got myself in a bit of a panic because that was before the blood tests had even been completed.”
The tests all but confirmed that Lotus-Maeve had leukaemia and Eilidh was told that the pair would have to go to Aberdeen right away.
A bone marrow extraction on February 17 confirmed a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
They have been in Aberdeen ever since with Lotus-Maeve undergoing brutal treatment and chemotherapy.
She has already endured blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, lumbar punctures and has had bone marrow samples taken. The toddler will continue to be treated for the next two and a half years.
“I’m just trying to hold it together,” Eilidh said.
“She’s got a feeding tube in and she’s been through so much for such a little girl.
“Everything about it is horrendous and I just don't understand how someone so little and so innocent could get something so horrible
“She's such an amazing little superstar and she's been so good.”
Eilidh shaved her head on Saturday, March 16, in support of Lotus-Maeve who has started to lose her hair due to her treatment plan.
She has donated both her hair and her daughter’s as well as funds raised from the shave to the Little Princess Trust.
A GoFundMe page set up by one of Eilidh’s friends has also raised over £1300 and another friend is also going to shave their head and wax their legs to raise even more money.
“There was no way I was going to allow her to go through her hair loss journey on her own,” Eilidh said.
“But the support I’ve had from everyone else has been incredible as well.
“I’m just so grateful to everyone who has donated. It’s just unbelievable.”
