This is Lucy.

Lucy is my six year's old niece daughter of my sister, Nicola.

Five-and-a-half years ago, on 24th January 2012, my sister Nicola (Lucy's mum) tragically died from sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 33, due to undiagnosed Dilated Cardiomyopathy (a heart condition).

Lucy was only 1 years old at the time and her brother Jack was almost two days old.

Nicola was also pregnant with their little sister, Ruby, who was born by c-section at 24 weeks gestation, during Nicola's attempted resuscitation. Ruby lived for 14 hours but died in her daddy's arms on Tuesday 25th January 2012.

Jack and Lucy in May

Since the tragedy of losing Nic and Ruby, Lucy and Jack have had their lives rebuilt around them by their loving Dad, dedicated 'Nannie' (my mum) and the rest of the family.

Lucy and Jack

On Monday 17th July 2017, our already broken hearts were shattered into a million pieces when Lucy was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a terminal, inoperable and (so far) untreatable malignant brain tumour. We have since found out that the tumour is a Grade 4, meaning Lucy is expected to have only months to live.

Currently, treatment is limited to radiotherapy (of which there are several delivery methods) and chemotherapy on the NHS at Alder Hey and other hospitals in the UK. There has been very little research into DIPG and therefore, comparatively little is known about this type of cancer. We know it only affects children and the cruel nature and location of the tumour means that DIPG children gradually lose control of their bodily functions.

Our family is doing everything possible, amid the whirlwind of disbelief we find ourselves in, to find alternative therapies and options that may work either outside or alongside the NHS. It's our only hope of helping Lucy and if we have hope, we can keep going.

Below is a list of areas we are currently researching: Intra-arterial chemotherapy treatment under Dr. Alberto Siller and Dr. Alberto Garcia in Monterrey, Mexico

- Convection-Enhanced Delivery (CED) - a way to overcome the blood brain barrier by implanting four very fine tubes, or catheters, surgically into the tumour to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly at an effective concentration - under Dr. Zacharoulis at The Harley Street Clinic, London, or Dr. Mark Souweidane at The Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, New York

- BET domain inhibitors - a possible therapy in DIPG under Dr. Rishi Lulla whom will be pushing into clinic a recent science discovery by Professor Ali Shilatifard, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

- Clinical trials of the drug DFMO at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick under Dr. David Ziegler - Children’s Cancer Institute, Australia

- Anti-tumoral effect mediated by non-psychotropic cannabinoid receptors and other cannabinoid receptors researched by Dr. Cristina Sánchez, PhD in Madrid, Spain

We would also like to find a nutritionist for Lucy to advise on a suitable diet - there is some research that diet-induced ketosis causes changes to brain homeostasis that have potential for the treatment of malignant gliomas. We have also read about a metabolic diet which may help.

In addition, we've been in contact with acupuncturist and author, Dan Keown, who has recommended treatment via the Du and Yang Qioa Mai channels.

The above treatments do come at a cost, for example, the treatment in Mexico is estimated to cost at least £300,000 and even initial consultations can cost hundreds of pounds, so we would like to try and raise some funds to help towards this.

Any excess funds raised will go towards research into DIPG.

If you can't help by donating to 'Lucy's Pineapple Fund' (Lucy LOVES pineapples!), then any research you can do into these (and potentially other alternative therapies) would be fantastic. We are open to suggestions and advice from anyone who has dealt with DIPG - we don't have time on our hands to become experts. I'm sure you'll understand that we want to do absolutely everything we can for Lucy.

With the tumour being grade 4, we don't have time on our side, so we need to raise as much as we can as quickly as we can. Any fundraising ideas you have, please let me know.

If you would like to contact Lucy's Pineapple Fund, please use: lucyspineapplefund@.hotmail.co.uk

Please note, although my three children and Lucy and are aware that Lucy's poorly, I know kids are known to be quite open/vocal. So if you know us, we'd like to ask for your discretion and care when it comes to talking to your children. For them, we are trying to focus on giving them as much of a happy summer holiday as we can.

THANK YOU.