Brave three-year-old girl with cancer beams after last session of proton therapy

Little Daisy Fail smiles bravely after a final session of the radical proton beam therapy which her family are praying will help cure her cancer.

The plucky three-year-old has gone through six weeks of the pioneering treatment which, until five months ago, the NHS had to send patients overseas for.

It is hoped the 28 demanding sessions will wipe out a tumour on Daisy’s bladder – allowing her start nursery this year.

We told in February how she would be one of the youngest proton patients at the new £125million The Christie in Manchester.

Mum Lynne, 42, said: “Daisy rang the bell as she left and it was a lovely moment for her.

Daisy at The Christie where she has had treatments (Andrew & Lynne Fail)

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“She’s been an absolute trouper, we’re very hopeful.

“Everyone seems happy with how it’s gone, but we’ll have to wait a few weeks to know if she’s in remission. We feel so lucky.”

The therapy uses high-energy protons, which directly target the tumour and also cause little damage to nearby tissue – unlike the X-rays used in traditional radiotherapy.

It is a boost for youngsters especially, who can otherwise be at risk of long-term effects.

Lynne and husband Andrew, 41, were set to move to the US from Consett, Co Durham, for treatment to Daisy’s rhabdomyosarcoma, which hits fewer than 60 UK children a year.

Instead, the youngster was admitted to The Christie in March after nine rounds of chemo.

She is among 750 patients set for proton beam treatment there this year.

Daisy was sedated for each session as moving even a fraction during the therapy could have dangerous results.

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Lynne said: “At first she’d scream whenever they took her for sedation. It was very hard. The nurses played games to distract her.

“Afterwards, she’d always be tired and crawl on my knee for a cuddle.”

While Lynne has stayed nearby, Andrew brought daughter Scarlett, 11, to visit Daisy whenever possible.

Now the tot will have two more rounds of chemo before a final MRI scan. Lynne added: “All we can do is hope and pray it’s worked.”

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