‘Hollie was just the joy of life. It is horrific being without her’

A Derry mum whose daughter sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year has urged other parents to trust their instincts if they have any concerns about their child’s health.
Hollie with her dad Ciaran and mum Laura on a carriage ride to her belated sixth birthday party. Hollie spent her actual birthday in hospital.Hollie with her dad Ciaran and mum Laura on a carriage ride to her belated sixth birthday party. Hollie spent her actual birthday in hospital.
Hollie with her dad Ciaran and mum Laura on a carriage ride to her belated sixth birthday party. Hollie spent her actual birthday in hospital.

Laura Brady said her daughter Hollie did not display ‘any of the shocking symptoms’ of having a brain tumour before she received the devastating diagnosis that she had the most highly aggressive form of the cancer.

Hollie was just five years old when she was diagnosed with three brain tumours, one of which was the size of an orange. 

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Laura said that she was ‘so grateful’ for her GP who did not brush Hollie’s early symptoms off as just a migraine.

Hollie sadly passed away in November last year and her family are facing their second Christmas without her.Hollie sadly passed away in November last year and her family are facing their second Christmas without her.
Hollie sadly passed away in November last year and her family are facing their second Christmas without her.

“Hollie, who we always called ‘Boots’, had been just a bit off, having headaches and throwing up in the morning. Our GP ordered blood tests and I thought maybe they would show that Hollie was anaemic, because I did notice a wee change in her.

“In hindsight, she had lost a bit of weight and was very pale. I didn’t notice at the time, but can see it looking back at pictures.”

Laura said the blood tests came back clear and they ‘just motored on’.

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However, Hollie began to get worse and on one occasion came into the house crying in pain because of a headache.

She was immediately referred to the Children’s Ward in Altnagelvin and had an MRI scan which showed the tumours.

“It was such a shock,” Laura said. “Especially because there were three. We were told the position of the largest one wasn’t great, but they couldn’t tell us much more at that stage.”

Hollie was transferred to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and had surgery to debulk the tumours.

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”Hollie was in good spirits before the surgery and it made it all that bit easier. To be honest, I just pretended that it wasn’t happening because she was in such good form.

“Her wee spirit always kept me going. She was just amazing throughout the whole journey, she was just so good and took everything in her stride.”

The surgery had to be suspended because it was so dangerous and there was a lot of swelling in Hollie’s brain.

“They didn’t get as much of it as they would have liked and the neurosurgeon told me it was one of the hardest surgeries he had ever performed. 

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“He was amazed when he came into ICU afterwards and saw Hollie sitting up, back to herself and eating toast.

“He promised me he would do his best to give me back my daughter and he did, he gave me back my Hollie.”

Samples of the tumour were sent away to be tested and the family received the devastating news that Hollie had an aggressive form of brain tumour and needed to start treatment straight away.

“We were told she had about 12 to 18 months. It was just so horrendous for us to hear,” Laura said.

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“She was only five and just the joy of life. I just remember rocking back and forward in the chair and I could hear them talking, but I wasn’t taking it in.”

Hollie began chemotherapy immediately and then radiotherapy and spent her sixth birthday, just days before Christmas, in hospital.

However, Hollie got home for Christmas and her favourite day of the year, New Year’s Eve.

“She was just loving life, she even managed to stay up to midnight which she never really managed before because she was always in bed so early. We had the most amazing time.”

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Following the treatment, Hollie had an MRI scan which was stable and Laura said this gave the family hope.

“With any other scan, there was never any good news. We did start to have a bit of hope.

”The hope was sadly short lived, as Hollie became very symptomatic again just a month later and another scan showed further growth of the tumour.

Hollie was unable to undergo any other form of treatment and remained in hospital from August until late October.

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“After that Hollie came home and we had such a precious time with her. A hospice had been suggested to us, but I just wanted Hollie home where she was supposed to be.”

Sadly, she passed away in November 2019. “We’ve had her first birthday, Christmas and New Year without her. I didn’t want to celebrate, or put up a tree or anything, but that isn’t fair on Chelsea (Hollie’s older sister). Hollie loved a celebration and she was the type of wee girl that if she came to your birthday, she would open all your presents and your cards. It’s just horrific being without her.”

Laura received the most thoughtful gift from her partner and Hollie’s dad last Christmas and it is something she will cherish forever.

“Hollie had a Build-A-Bear called Princess, which was just such a massive part of her life. Ciaran bought me one and it has a recorded message from Hollie, saying ‘Happy Christmas Mammy, love you’.

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“I’ve called the bear ‘Boots’ and it is always with me. It was such a magical gift.”

Laura visits Hollie in the cemetery every day and finds peace being with her daughter. “It didn’t bother me when the cemetery was closed during lockdown, I scaled the wall to be with her, I had to. Sometimes I forget to come home because when you are in them walls, anything could be going on outside and it just doesn’t matter. I find it so peaceful. That is the last place where I left Hollie and I believe she is still there.”

She said the family still include Hollie in their Christmas by buying her a gift and making Princess and Boots part of the day itself.

“We also want to donate the money I would normally spend on her for Christmas. Last year it went to Kinship Care and this year we want to donate it to the Children’s Ward.It’s important for us to do something in her memory every year.”


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