Grace G's quilt    (Quilt Completed)

Thank you

Grace G is home from school and is thrilled with her quilt. THANK YOU SO MUCH to EVERYONE involved you are all angels

Finished photos

Individual squares

Card

Stitched by: Leanda Vickers

Biography

Grace was born a very healthy baby and we didn't have any medical issues with her through childhood. Just after her 12th birthday in 2018 Grace started to experience strange sensations on the left hand side of her body, on several occasions over 4 weeks I took her to our GP with concerns.
We were told she was experiencing silent migraines which I knew couldn't be right.

Then in May 2018 after having over 20 episodes on just this day alone (she was on average having them every hour from waking to approx 11pm) we called an ambulance as we couldn't stop the pain she was experiencing. This ranged from electric shocks, to feeling like her skin was tearing to massive eye pain all on the left side. On the way to the hospital Grace had her first tonic clonic seizure. She was admitted and after several CTs and MRIs she was diagnosed with viral encephalitis.

After 3 weeks of unsuccessful treatment we were discharged home. Grace still continued to have what we now know were sensory seizures. After lengthy emails to as many neurologists as I could find details for she was seen at John Radcliffe Hospital and we were told after an EEG that her brain was in continuous status (seizure mode).

Grace was referred to Bristol Children's Hospital and 2 weeks later she had a biopsy which diagnosed that she actually had cancer. We are very lucky we still had her at this stage as in the weeks previous she had been very very poorly indeed.

Grace started intensive radiotherapy and continuous chemotherapy treatment at John Radcliffe Hospital in August of 2018 and approximately 1 week later she was seizure free. Her initial treatment lasted 42 days.

She started her treatment unable to walk properly and is now on cycle 5 of 12 and is back at school, dancing, RAF cadets and has graded orange belt 2 green tabs in judo. Safe to say our girl is a warrior and a fighter.

I will never forget the words my daughter said to me when I told her she had cancer. She said 'mummy God has given this to me to show others how to cope with it and to not be afraid'. She continues to do this everyday despite her illness and treatment.

We love her very much.