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When George Gibson, 30, and his wife Laura, 31, took their two-year-old daughter Harper for an eye test, they never imagined that the appointment would change their lives.
The family, who live in Staffordshire, England, expected to leave with nothing more than a simple pair of glasses for their toddler—who had developed a lazy eye over the course of just one month—and they hoped that her symptoms would quickly fade. But after an eye scan, their world was turned upside down.
“Her optic nerve was extremely swollen, and the optician’s instant response was to stop the eye test and send us straight to the emergency room,” George told Newsweek.
Dismissed 8 Times Before Correct Diagnosis
Harper had been unusually tired for weeks. At first, she was diagnosed with an ear infection and then tonsillitis—and she was told to rest during six further visits to her doctor and the hospital.
“They kept saying rest, but that’s all she was doing,” Laura said. “She couldn’t possibly sleep any more.”
“She wasn’t herself,” she added, explaining that Harper showed no interest in playing or doing the usual things she loved.
“She’d wake up every hour throughout the night screaming in pain, but she couldn’t tell us what was wrong.”
Doctors initially reassured the couple that it was likely nothing serious, even as Harper’s symptoms worsened to include confusion, lethargy and a noticeable head tilt.
“We were under the impression it might just be a lazy eye and she’d get glasses and be back to herself,” Laura said. “We didn’t think for one second it would be cancer.”
Emergency Surgery
Within two days of the eye test on August 14, Harper was in the operating theatre undergoing a nine-hour surgery to remove a 1.5 square inch-sized tumor from her brain and to insert a drain for excess fluid.
The surgery was a success. Surgeons removed 99 to 100 percent of the mass, which was then sent off for a biopsy.
Eight days later, the parents received the news no family ever wants to hear: Harper had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that develops in the cerebellum—the part of the brain responsible for balance and coordination.
Medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all pediatric brain tumors in the U.S. Each year, around 50 children in the U.K. are diagnosed with the disease.
“At that point, your life stops for a moment,” George said. “We were left speechless. It was caught at the best time we possibly could.”
A Daunting Road Ahead
On August 30, Harper began the first of six rounds of chemotherapy. Her parents have praised their daughter’s resilience throughout the process.
Laura told Newsweek: “She’s oblivious to the fact that she’s ill—and it’s lovely to see.”
After the first round, Harper was full of life and making everyone laugh. However, she did experience mouth ulcers and hair loss.
The second round of chemotherapy, however, brought new challenges. “The aftermath was completely different,” George explained. “Her appetite suppressed—and one night she was in and out of consciousness.”
Finding Strength in Each Day
As the family prepares for cycle three, George and Laura say they’re physically and mentally ready for whatever comes next.
“We’re confident that we’re in safe hands at Birmingham Children’s Hospital,” they said. “The oncology team has been brilliantly reassuring. We’ve never felt uncertain or unaware of what we’re going through.”
Sharing Their Journey
The parents have been documenting Harper’s journey on Instagram (@georgejamesss), hoping it will give strength to other families facing the unimaginable.
George said: “If you don’t talk about it, you can drive yourself crazy. So many parents feel like they’re alone, like no one has been in their position.
“It’s so much better to try to put some positivity into it. Start conversations with a smile. Be open and free to talk, like we did with the other families on the ward. Speaking openly sculpts a journey for others to follow.
“I was blissfully ignorant before the diagnosis—I didn’t even know childhood cancer was a thing. You never think it will happen to you. But when it does, you have to accept it and play the cards you’re dealt. We’re trying to medicate her with love and positivity.”
Laura concluded: “I always tell people she’s going to change the world with every positive step she takes.”
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