Brave mum preparing for fundraising climbing challenge

A brave Louth mum is almost ready to set off on a climbing challenge to raise money for those who have helped her three-year-old daughter who is suffering from a brain tumour.
Emily Morton and Ruby Frankish.Emily Morton and Ruby Frankish.
Emily Morton and Ruby Frankish.

As reported in the Louth Leader last month, Lily Harley was diagnosed with Grade 3 Ependymoma – a type of brain tumour – in January this year.

Lily had her first 10-hour surgery to remove 80 percent of her tumour shortly after, and has also had to undergo proton beam therapy in Germany.

Since then, Lily has been undergoing chemotherapy at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and her last session is taking place on August 29, and an MRI shortly after should confirm if the treatment has worked.

Lily Harley, 3, with mum Emily and dad Josh.Lily Harley, 3, with mum Emily and dad Josh.
Lily Harley, 3, with mum Emily and dad Josh.

While the doctors are optimistic about her prognosis, there is a chance the tumour will return due to the presence of cancer in her spinal fluid, which can transport the cells around the body.

On top of raising awareness of Lily’s condition, her mum Emily Morton and her friend Ruby Frankish are now climbing Mount Snowdon, with Ruby also climbing Scalfell Pike and Ben Nevis as part of the Three Peaks Challenge, and will be setting off on Saturday (August 20) to raise money for her and Young Lives VS Cancer.

Emily said: “We really want to challenge ourselves, compared to what Lily has been through it’s not the same, but we wanted to do something, she’s been through so much.”

Training has not been easy for Emily as she has been attending hospital appointments with Lily, and she also recently had to stay with Lily in hospital when she had a temperature that would not go down, and poor Lily had to undergo a blood transfusion.

"I’ve just been trying to do as much walking as I can, walking the dog and so on because I’m so tired,” Emily said, “We’ll make the best of it and do our best.”

The two friends have already smashed their fundraising target of £3,000 and have so far raised £3,300 for their chosen charities, and are hoping to raise even more to help families whose children are suffering like Lily.

To make a donation to Emily and Ruby’s climbing challenge, visit their JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/emily-morton-2?utm_term=J64gjdGVw

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