Brain tumour treatment: Girl, 9, gets thousands in donations

The parents of a schoolgirl with a rare brain tumour have hailed the kindness of strangers who have donated money towards a pioneering £250,000 treatment.

Earlier this year, nine-year-old Eva Williams, of Marford, Wrexham county, was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) - a condition which mainly affects children aged two to 12.

She underwent an intensive course of radiotherapy - the only known treatment - but it is likely to only provide temporary relief in shrinking the tumour.

After researching, her parents discovered a clinical trial for a drug in the United States and launched a crowd-funding page in a bid to cover the huge costs.

So far, people have contributed tens of thousands of pounds.

"We had no idea people would care that much," Eva's father Paul Slapa said.

"It's just amazing. I can't describe it. One of the parents at school said 'that's what mates do'.

"But it feels like it's more than that, it's people we don't know."

12 March 2020