Internet viewers have been reduced to tears by the heartbreaking moment a 10-year-old girl made a wish at Disneyland for her terminal brain cancer to “go away.”
As her daughter experienced prolonged headaches and morning sickness for several weeks, mom Kayleigh Atkinson became increasingly concerned about Emilia’s well-being. The symptoms didn’t subside, so Emilia underwent a CT scan, an MRI, and a biopsy throughout August, before being given a devastating diagnosis.
On September 5, Emilia was diagnosed with Grade 4 diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a fast-growing brain tumor that starts in part of the brainstem. Symptoms can appear rapidly, often including trouble with eye movement, vision problems, face drooping, headaches, nausea, loss of balance, problems with talking or chewing.
Atkinson, 35, from the U.K,, told Newsweek that she simply “went numb” and felt like the world was moving “in slow motion” when she heard those terrifying words. Instead of playing with her friends and going to school, Emilia was instead faced with the fight of her life at just 10 years old.
“We were given little detail in the beginning, so I didn’t understand the seriousness of her diagnosis,” Atkinson said. “I spent the first week in pieces, clinging to hope, researching and going through emotional lows—almost grieving her while she was holding my hand.
“The prognosis was not given to us as definitive, but typically this tumor can be nine to 18 months with 1 percent of cases getting up to five years.”
Emilia is undergoing radiotherapy treatment, but before starting her first round, the family took a much-needed trip to Disneyland Paris. Atkinson said that it was “suitable for a short weekend,” and the family was able to visit the Magic Kingdom and the Disneyland studios.
During their trip, Emilia spotted Aladdin’s lamp and instantly went over to make a wish. But what she asked for left Atkinson fighting back tears.
“Normally, she doesn’t tell me her wishes as we have a habit of wishing on dandelions, eyelashes and when blowing out any candle. But she told me she wanted to wish for her cancer to go away. It was devastating to watch her do it as, at the time, she really didn’t understand her prognosis,” Atkinson said.
It was certainly a moment Atkinson will never forget, and something she wishes her daughter didn’t have to go through. Having documented much of her daughter’s health battle on social media, Atkinson shared the footage of her tear-jerking wish on TikTok (@kayatkin).
Internet users have been overcome with emotion, and the video has gone viral with over 341,500 views and more than 49,500 likes at the time of writing. The online response has been incredibly uplifting, and Atkinson has been able to connect with many other families battling DIPG.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that around 300 children are diagnosed with DIPG in the U.S. every year, predominantly affecting those aged between 5 and 10 years old.
Fundraising for Clinical Trials
Emilia is doing well and is halfway through her radiotherapy treatment, throughout which she has remained “so resilient” and brave. However, Atkinson said she can’t help but fear that her family won’t get their fairytale ending and that the magical wish will all be in vain.
The family has also set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for clinical trials, which could potentially give Emilia more time. At the time of writing, their fundraising efforts have generated over £43,700 ($58,600), but Atkinson noted that the trials, travel, and accommodation could cost hundreds of thousands.
The family is incredibly grateful to the many people who have donated already, as it is hoped that Emilia will be able to live out many more happy memories despite her brain tumor.
“The fundraising is to assist us with additional treatment such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, red light therapy and nutritional health. We are also waiting for confirmation of which clinical trial she will be eligible for, so it’ll cover expenses to get her to wherever in the world she needs to be,” Atkinson told Newsweek.
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