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PHOTO. KEVIN McGUINNESS. Phoebe Young is a Princess for the day, she is in the carriage with her mum Donna Young
WhenDonna Young’s daughter Phoebe started school, she had more reason than most mums to shed a tear.
For the 31-year-old, it was particularly poignant when her four-year-old daughter entered school life for the first time, as she knows it may be the only time she is around to see one of her children start school.
The mum-of-two, of Ainsley Road, Fulwood, has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and knows her time is running out.
Her happiness at seeing Phoebe begin at Fulwood and Cadley Primary School was mingled with sadness that she might not be around to see her two-year-old son Jack make the same journey.
But the poorly mum was given a major boost by Lancashire charity Miles of Smiles who arranged for Phoebe to enjoy a magical afternoon as a princess just before starting school – mum and daughter enjoyed a special ride in a Cinderella-style carriage.
An emotional Donna said: “I kept the whole princess treat a surprise from Phoebe as I knew she would be absolutely delighted and that her face would be a picture.
“Phoebe knows that her mummy is very poorly, but is too young to understand about death and because I don’t know how long I have, I don’t want to upset the children until they need to know.
“I cannot get outside very much because of my breathing problems and my legs don’t work very well, so I am now in a wheelchair. When the children go on days out, it is usually without me.
“It was just so lovely for me and Phoebe to have such a rare treat together and to see her smile.
“It was one of those special memories you want to have as mother and daughter and Phoebe absolutely loved it and hasn’t stopped talking about it since.”
Donna, who was a psychiatric nurse before her illness, began suffering from recurrent chest infections when she was pregnant with Jack. However, because she was expecting, doctors were unable to undertake too many tests.
But even after she gave birth to Jack, it was unclear what was causing Donna’s chest problems - until April last year when doctors did a biopsy of her lung which revealed she had cancer.
Donna said: “Because of my age, I feel that doctors did not consider lung cancer was the cause. By the time it was eventually diagnosed, the cancer had spread to my other lung and it is now inoperable.
“Lung cancer is very rare in someone of my age. Doctors think it was probably caused by a hereditary condition.
“There is nothing doctors can do to tackle the cancer. It is now just a case of maintaining it to give me as long as they can.
“It is very difficult to deal with, especially when you have two young children who you want to be around for. I still have moments when I find it really tough to come to terms with.
“I rely on my mum Barbara a lot to care for the children as I have to go into hospital or St Catherine’s Hospice quite a lot.
“I am really happy and proud to have seen Phoebe start school and I just hope I am around to see Jack go to school too.”
Phoebe was nominated to Miles of Smile’s by Donna’s friend Becca Hunt, who is a technician for North West Ambulance Service and lives in Leyland.
Spurred on by Donna’s plight, together with nine other NHS colleagues, Becca organised a triathlon to raise money to send Donna and her children on a holiday together.
Becca, 36, said: “Donna is younger than me and it is awful to think what she is going through and it really brings it home to you when it is a friend who is affected.”
Miles of Smiles arranged for a delighted Phoebe to be picked up from her home in a spectacular Cinderella carriage. The charity also provided the youngster with a dazzling dress, new shoes and a tiara.
Samantha Oates, headteacher at Fulwood and Cadley Primary School on Black Bull Lane, said: “It is a privilege to welcome such a happy and bubbly little girl into the school.”
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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Ken Nicholls
Saturday, September 4, 2010 at 10:27 PMWhat a sad story !!! Hope you can see the day when Jacks first day of school arrives.
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