A FAMILY whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer at just four months old are backing a campaign celebrating the courage of children across the region.

Isabella Foster, from Stoneclough, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a cancer that begins in nerve cells - earlier this year, after her parents noticed she had begun refusing her milk and screaming constantly through the night.

The toddler celebrates her first birthday this month and has already received a Star Award from Cancer Research UK, an annual campaign honouring young cancer patients who deserve special recognition.

Her symptoms were first put down to a virus and then to constipation by doctors, but parents Charlotte and Daniel had to rush her to A&E when her bottom began bleeding, and a later ultrasound scan and examination at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital revealed a tumour at the base of Isabella's spine.

Charlotte, aged 30, said: "The doctor gave her an internal examination and said he felt a mass on the base of her spine. I pressed him for an explanation and he said ‘I think it’s a tumour’, which was the most crippling, awful news.

"Isabella had a big thick mop of red hair since she was born so the thought of her losing her hair was a big thing for us. But the first day in the oncology ward - seeing all these other families in the same situation - actually came as a relief. We were no longer the couple whose baby had a tumour. Everyone here had a child with cancer and nobody needed to ask. Instead they wanted to know her name and what she was like."

Isabella had six rounds of chemotherapy, which have significantly shrunk the tumour, and doctors say her prognosis is good, while friends and family have raised £2,000 for her hospital ward.

Charlotte said: "The last year has been really difficult in terms of not being able to do the normal new baby activities. We couldn’t take her swimming or go to play centres and there are a lot of family events we've had to miss with the chemotherapy. Some of the family have not even met her yet.

"We've not just been learning to be parents, we’ve been learning to be parents of a baby with cancer and that’s completely different. I’ve learnt how to change her feeding tube so she wouldn’t always have to see a new face and I flush her catheter daily – you do become a bit of a nurse as well as a mum.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Isabella. She’s got a fiery temper and knew what she wanted from the day I brought her home. She’s a character and she likes to get what she wants - no messing.

“When she was born I got a milestones book to fill in about when she first ate solid food, sat up or crawled, but our milestones are different now. For us, Isabella’s milestones are her first operation, when she came round from general anaesthetic for the first time, the first time she had her feeding tube fitted, when she finished her chemotherapy. They’re her achievements now.

“We collect special beads of courage – one for each treatment – which we’ll use to help explain what she went through when she’s bigger.

“We know she’s not going to remember this part of her life but she’s always going to carry the scars, so we’re trying to collect things we can to use to explain what she’s been through in more positive way.

“Her Star Award will be a part of that. It’s on a shelf in the lounge where she can look at it. Nominating Isabella for a Star Award was something positive I could do at a dark time when all we were thinking about was her treatment. This acknowledges her bravery. I try and think of it as something positive, and am so proud of our strong little girl.”

Cancer Research UK’s Kids and Teens Star Awards opened last month, amid new figures showing that the rate of UK children dying from cancer has dropped by 24 per cent in the last decade.

To nominate a child for an award, donate or fundraise in support of Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens visit cruk.org/kidsandteens.