Charlie's story

Nici and John’s middle son Charlie was diagnosed with a Grade Three ependymoma tumour aged just two, and died in 2021.

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Charlie underwent major brain surgery and chemotherapy at Manchester Children’s Hospital which was unsuccessful.

His parents were told that nothing more could be done and that Charlie was being referred to Christie’s for palliative care.

Nici and John sought a second opinion from a surgeon based at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, who was very honest about the severity of Charlie’s tumour, but said he was willing to carry out a second-look surgery.

After 14 hours in theatre, the surgeon and his colleagues had managed to remove almost all of Charlie's tumour, although he suffered cerebral mutism and had to learn to walk again.