Our daughter Scarlett went for a routine eye test, something we do every year for our girls. During the appointment the optician found swelling behind both optic nerves. This led to urgent hospital scans and within days Scarlett was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

She was fit, active and doing well at school with no signs that anything was wrong. The diagnosis came as a complete shock. The only reason this tumour was discovered early was because of that simple eye test. We want other families to know that these checks can make all the difference.

This page has been created to raise awareness of how important eye tests are for children and to support the charities that help families during frightening and uncertain moments like these. Scarlett has since had surgery and the tumour has been removed. She is recovering well and we remain grateful for the kindness and professionalism shown by everyone who has supported her.

Once we reach our target, the majority of the funds will be donated to three charities that have a direct connection to what families face in these situations. These are Ronald McDonald House Charities, Brain Tumour Research and Southampton Hospital Charity for paediatric neurology. These organisations provide support, research and care that change lives. We want to give back to them in recognition of what they do for so many people.

We also want to be open about one personal part of this fundraiser. A small and clearly capped portion will be used to rebook a short family holiday for Scarlett. We were due to fly only hours after her diagnosis and the trip had to be cancelled immediately so she could undergo urgent neurosurgery. She is twelve and she was devastated to lose the holiday she had looked forward to for so long.