Georgia Morgan is a eight-year little girl who spent TWO YEARS battling leukaemia, had a stroke, shingles, E coli and paralysis.
Her parents Lorna and Darren watched their daughter Georgia handled the past 2 years with grace and bravery. Lorna and Darren never dared dream Georgia’s ill health would one day be a thing of the past.
The couple first feared losing Georgia to leukaemia. Then came the stroke which doctors warned may have damaged her brain so badly that she would not recognize them.
Back in March 2007, the Morgans took Georgia for a blood test. This was after Georgia was often feeling exhausted and many people commented how pale Georgia looked.
The doctor told the Morgans that their daughter was anaemic and needed a blood transfusion and that the underlying cause could be leukaemia.
Lorna said, “The rest is a bit of a blur. But in the ambulance to Addenbrooke’s while I was having heart failure, Georgia was asking the staff to put on the sirens and the flashing lights. Thankfully no matter what has been thrown at her, she has responded with that bright attitude.”
Georgia began chemotherapy straight away and doctors appeared confident that the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia could be treated.
But three weeks later, medics delivered more bad news. Georgia’s steroids and chemotherapy clashed, resulting in a blood clot. They can occur anywhere in the body, but Georgia’s formed on the brain, causing a stroke.
Lorna said, “I had slept with her on the ward and woke at 5am to find her making a funny noise. I couldn’t wake her even though her eyes were open, and her body started jolting. A team of doctors rushed in and she was put on life support in intensive care.”
A doctor eventually told the Morgans the stroke had left Georgia severely brain damaged. She will not recognize her family and would be paralyzed from the neck down. It was devastating.
Three days later, with Georgia back in a normal ward, Darren and Lorna began washing the youngster’s hair at her bedside.
Then what seemed like a miracle happened.
Lorna recalls: “The strands were coming away in our hands because of the chemotherapy. That was so upsetting - but then Georgia lifted her arm and wiped a drop of water from her ear. We couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t paralyzed after all.”
Georgia suffered no long-term damage from the stroke but she needed physiotherapy to help her walk again.
And when she later came down with an E coli infection and shingles in close succession, she took it all in her stride.
Lorna says: “I’m so proud of her. Even when full of drugs for shingles and E coli she remained as bright as a button. She hasn’t dropped behind at school either and will be returning to the same year group this autumn.
Georgia’s bravery earned her a Cancer Research UK-TK Maxx Little Star Award. The scheme recognizes the courage of children undergoing cancer treatment.
And at a recent Little Star party in London there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Georgia joined X Factor stars Same Difference to sing a song from High School Musical.
Later this month the family fly to Florida for a well-earned holiday to celebrate Georgia’s recovery.
And the inspirational youngster says: “I can’t wait to go as I hope to swim with dolphins.
They’re my favorite animal so it would be a dream come true.”
Georgia now tells her five-year-old brother Jamie that her long illness was just a “big adventure”.
Georgia Morgan is a little fighter with the best attitude and she is an inspirational to people young and old all over the world.
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