Our baby girl, Grace Rose Deery was born on the 17th October 2022 at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. She was very unwell when she was born and was critically ill. At 2 days old, we were told a mass had been found on her adrenal gland which had spread to her liver. We were told she had a type of cancer called 'Neuroblastoma'.

Grace spent the next 6 weeks in the Neo-Natal unit where she received her first round of chemotherapy. She was transferred to the Haematology and Oncology Unit in The Children’s Hospital where she would stay for a further 4 months. She received further two rounds of chemotherapy; one in December and another in February. During her third round of chemotherapy, she battled a sepsis and e-coli infection and had to be admitted to PICU.

The third round of chemotherapy took it's toll on Grace. So much so, that her liver had been badly damaged. When she was discharged from PICU at the end of February, we had to make plans to go to Birmingham Children's Hospital where Grace would be assessed for a liver transplant.

In the middle of March, Grace was well enough to travel to Birmingham where we stayed for four weeks. We underwent various tests and tried new medications. Grace was approved for a liver transplant but was too unwell for one just yet. We were told to wait and get Grace stronger. Grace was transferred back to Belfast and was finally deemed well enough to be discharged home; 6 months to the day, and almost to the minute, after she was born.

Since Grace has been home, she hasn't looked back. She remains on the transplant list, though not live at the moment. There is no longer any active Neuroblastoma cancer, either on her adrenal gland or in her liver. She is putting on weight and is beginning to thrive.

Things for Grace are starting to look up. We still have a journey ahead of us but we are so proud of our amazing Grace. She loves watching Toy Story, playing with her dolls and will shout if you don't offer her a bite of your biscuit! She is the most magical girl who will do it all.

We are hoping to raise some money to give something back to all those charities and amazing people that helped us along our journey. This October, myself and my husband Daniel will walk and run 100miles each as the start of our training to run the Belfast Marathon with our family and friends for Grace.

Thank you for taking the time to read Grace's story. Please feel free to share it far and wide.

We can never thank you all enough 💛