The mother of a West Lothian girl who has been fighting brain cancer for three years has launched a birthday card appeal for her daughter to make sure she knows how much she is loved and cared for.
Ellie Beattie of Livingston was diagnosed with metastatic pineoblastoma and leptomeningeal disease in 2019 and at just 12 years old she endured numerous bouts of radiotherapy and brain operations.
Now, as the brave teenager gets set to celebrate her 16th birthday on April 4, her mum Elaine hopes to make it as memorable as possible.
Elaine appealed to friends to send birthday cards as part of her family’s journaling project, ‘Ellie’s brave cancer journal’ which raises funds to make memories for Ellie and her family as well as documenting their daily lives battling cancer.
Ellie lives with an inoperable brain tumour, but has remained stable after aggressive treatment from specialist doctors. Elaine and the family support her through the incredibly difficult process.
She said: “Ellie was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour when she was only 12 . On paper she shouldn’tbe here. We never thought that we would see her 15th birthday, but our girl is a brave fighter!
“Now she’s turning 16 I want her to know that she’s got support from the community.”
Last year, Ellie celebrated her 15th birthday at home surrounded by family with a gazebo and firepit provided by the Shannon Hughes Foundation.
This year calls for a similar affair, with an added pirate theme, per Ellie’s request.
Ellie enjoys art, anime, video games, and theatre and has big plans to visit London later this year.
There is also a trip to Paris in the pipeline.
Elaine explained: “Ellie has a scan in July and regardless of the outcome we’re going to EuroDisney.
“It’s important for her to have things to do, and have things to look forward to.”
Explaining the thoughts behind the journal, Elaine added: “We started the journal to raise funds to make memories for Ellie, and for people to see where the money’s going.
“But because the tumour Ellie has is very rare, we’re hoping the documentation could help another family going through the same thing.”
If you want to send Ellie some birthday wishes on April 4, you can get in contact with her mum, Elaine Beattie, on Facebook.
You can also donate to help the family make memories for Ellie and keep up to the date with her progress here.
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