Prince William and Kate sent a sweet message to a little girl on her first day back at school after finishing cancer treatment.
Mila Sneddon, now aged six, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – a type of blood cancer – in November 2019.
She went through numerous rounds of chemotherapy, steroid treatments, blood and platelet transfusions, lumbar punctures and needed a feeding tube fitted.
The youngster finally got the all-clear in March this year.
Her mum Lynda, from Falkirk, tweeted an image of a beaming Mila dressed in her school uniform and carrying a packed lunch box on Wednesday.
She wrote alongside heart emojis: "First day back at school. Very proud! This is Mila's first school year not undergoing treatment. Love you Mila. Thank you @NHSGGC for making this possible."
Prince William and Kate retweeted the image, posting: "Such an incredible journey. Good luck from all of us at Kensington Palace, Mila".
Mila’s story recently gained nationwide attention after the Duchess of Cambridge sent a handwritten letter to congratulate her on the end of her treatment, a year after meeting her back in May 2021.
And a picture of Mila waving to her dad, Scott, through a window while in isolation went viral and appeared in Kate’s lockdown photography book, Hold Still.
The Duchess also kept her promise to Mila, who wanted to meet a princess dressed in her favourite colour pink, when the little one and her family visited the Queen’s official Edinburgh home.
“Hi Mila, look at you," Kate said. "I want to give you a big squeezy cuddle, it’s so nice to meet you in person."
She also praised the youngster who was dressed head-to-toe in pink with matching headband, dress and shoes.
She said: “I love your dress, can you do a little twirl - and your shoes.”
Mila's family were supported throughout her treatment by Blood Cancer UK, who assisted them and provided educational resources.
Lynda said the first warning signs of her daughter's illness were night sweats.
After the relatively mild symptoms persisted, a visit to her GP found her spleen was enlarged and she was sent to hospital for further tests.
Mila’s blood results on November 19, 2019 confirmed she had leukaemia.
She spent the next two-and-a-half years receiving treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow.
While her family are thrilled she now has the all-clear, they remain committed to raising awareness and the warning signs parents must watch out for.
Lynda previously said: “We had mixed feelings.
"On one hand, we were completely elated and so proud and happy Mila had finished treatment – this was a monumental milestone for Mila and allowed her life to return to a new normal.
“For Scott and I, we still feel vulnerable and are having to adjust to our new normal. It has made us more vigilant as parents and we want to share signs and symptoms with the world.”
