Wish stories

When Laura was first diagnosed at just 12 years of age, meeting up with friends was swapped for long periods of chemotherapy: “It separated me from my friends. I was going into chemotherapy once a week- at that age it's hard because you’re so use to being at school."

In November 2020 Laura was taken off treatment, and up until 2022 she had been in remission. “In 2022 I found out that my brain tumour had come back - I had a further lot of cancer treatment, proton beam therapy, from December 2022 to January 2023,” explained Laura.

“In 2022, when I got my told the tumour had come back, I was two weeks into my first year of sixth form. I tend to be positive but there are some things that are too much.”

For Laura, her brain tumour diagnosis robbed her of living her teenage years to the fullest. “I had chemotherapy for a total of 20 months and had tried five different drugs, with one of them triggering an allergic reaction,” said Laura. The intensive treatment also impacted Laura’s energy levels, leaving her unable to enjoy the many sports that she had previously loved.

“You don't get to often experience what others your age have when you have a critical illness. Last year when Barbie came out, I was going to go see it with my friends, but I ended up in hospital, I couldn’t go. There are so many things that you miss.”

Still, resilient Laura has latched onto her positive personality throughout it all. Now in sixth form, Laura is taking her time to regain some of the strength that she lost during treatment, and of course catches up with all things Lionesses - the football team that offered her a wealth of distraction and hope whilst in hospital.

“I got into playing football when I was quite young at a local club called mini footy- I was the only girl who went,” explained Laura as she told us about her love for football came to be.

Although Laura’s passion for football has always been around, her interest in the Lionesses peaked after receiving her second brain tumour diagnosis: “I would watch their football games whilst in hospital. I remember in 2022 being 16, I saw them on TV and they were so inspiring! It's why I chose my wish!”

The day before the wish was Laura’s 18th birthday, making the week one full of celebrations! “Even though it was my birthday I was still so excited for the wish!,” said Laura.

On 2nd April, Laura made the trip from her home in Westcliff-on-sea to the Lionesses training grounds, St George’s Park in Burton-upon-Trent. During a private meet and great with the Lionesses, Laura enjoyed talking all things football with the team that supplied her with a needed distraction whilst undergoing treatment.

“Meeting the lionesses was amazing! One of the first things I did when I got back to school, I went down to the PE department and just bragged to them about how I had met the team,” joked Laura.

Most teens are able to spend their time hanging with their friends, making long lasting happy memories of their teenage years. But after undergoing two brain tumour diagnosis, Laura couldn’t. That’s why her wish was so needed, it allowed her to form joy filled teenage memories for her to draw upon in years to come.

“Thank you so much, it was so great to meet them, everyone at Make-A-Wish was so nice. It was incredible and such a great experience that will stay with me forever!”