Holly's campaign

Meet Holly 

Holly is full of character, with a brilliant sense of humour and a big, vibrant personality. She loves to make people laugh, often creating her own jokes, and has a natural way of lifting the mood of those around her. 

She describes herself as a “cuddly toy type of person” and treasures each of her toys, all of which have names and special memories attached. Her favourite, Upsy Daisy, goes everywhere with her - including every hospital visit and procedure. 

Holly is a huge Pokémon fan and knows an incredible amount about the characters, their names and evolutions. Her favourite is Charmander - a fitting choice, reflecting her own bravery, resilience and a little bit of cheekiness. She also loves music, dancing, and spending time watching football and her favourite shows with her family. 

An Everton FC supporter, Holly was proud to be a mascot at a special match in October 2025, meeting players and walking onto the pitch - a moment her family will always treasure. 

Holly is also incredibly caring. Even during her own treatment, she has shown kindness to others, like sharing her toys to comfort another child on the ward. 

Holly’s diagnosis 

In April 2024, Holly began experiencing constipation symptoms which continued for several weeks. Then, when she developed a limp, her parents took her to A&E - and their lives changed forever. By May, Holly was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma.

The diagnosis turned life upside down overnight. What had been a happy, active childhood quickly became a world of hospitals, treatment and uncertainty. 

Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer, and high-risk cases come with a significant chance of relapse, making treatment particularly challenging.

Holly’s treatment 

Since her diagnosis, Holly has undergone an intensive and complex course of treatment. She began with eight cycles of rapid chemotherapy, followed by stem cell harvest and further treatment when initial responses were not sufficient. 

Holly then endured two rounds of high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplants, alongside serious complications including a fungal lung infection that required time in intensive care. She later received radiotherapy and immunotherapy as part of her frontline treatment. 

In August 2025, scans confirmed that Holly had relapsed. She has since had further chemotherapy and immunotherapy, including MIBG therapy - a specialist treatment which required the family to travel and stay far from home while Holly remained in isolation during treatment. It was another incredibly difficult stage of Holly’s journey, but she continued to face it with remarkable courage and resilience.

Despite everything she has faced, Holly approaches treatment in her own way - learning medical terminology, advocating for herself, and finding moments of joy wherever she can, whether through bubbles, music or time with family. 

The impact on family life 

Holly’s diagnosis has had a profound impact on family life. Her mum has taken a career break from her role as an NHS nurse to care for her full-time, and day-to-day life has become unpredictable, with plans often changing at short notice due to treatment or illness. 

Despite this, the family treasure every moment they can spend together. Time with cousins and loved ones remains incredibly important, and Holly especially enjoys being around her extended family, who she affectionately calls her “stinky uncles.” 

Holly beyond treatment 

Before her diagnosis, Holly loved attending nursery, spending time with her grandparents, and enjoying days out with family. She thrived around other children and continues to do so whenever she is well enough to attend school. 

Even with long absences, Holly has formed friendships and remains a much-loved presence among her peers. Her confidence and humour shine through - whether chatting to classmates about her treatment or making others laugh. 

She has already shown incredible courage, even receiving a Child of Courage award in recognition of her bravery.

Why we are fundraising 

Holly’s journey is ongoing and following her relapse her family is fundraising to help secure access to further treatment options if needed - including the costs that can come with specialist care, travel and time away from work. 

For families facing relapsed neuroblastoma, options can be limited. Accessing the best available treatments or clinical trials can also bring significant practical and financial pressures. 

Holly’s family are determined to do everything they can to support her, now and in the future. Their hope is that she will not need to rely on these funds - but if she does, they want to be ready. 

Holly continues to face every challenge with courage, determination and her unmistakable spirit - and her family could not be prouder. Thank you for supporting Holly and helping to keep every possible option open for her. 

_{Solving Kids' Cancer UK's children's fundraising campaigns 
Funds raised will go towards helping Holly and her family. If Holly no longer needs the funds or is in remission seven years post the end of successful treatment, the funds will be used to support other children and families affected by neuroblastoma through our activities. For children with relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma, like Holly, the survival rate is much lower than other childhood cancers.}