Family running out of time as six-year-old Bonnie's lung tumour doubles in size

A suspected sprained arm turned out to be terminal cancer, and scans have shown that the tumours on six-year-old Bonnie's lungs have doubled in size.

We spoke with Bonnie-leigh Spence's mum, Zoe, who is formerly of Burnley, last summer, when the family began fundraising to make the most of the time left together.

Scans have shown that the tumours on six-year-old Bonnie-leigh Spence's lungs have doubled in size, says her stepmum.

placeholder image — Scans have shown that the tumours on six-year-old Bonnie-leigh Spence's lungs have doubled in size, says her stepmum.

But now Bonnie's stepmum, Caroline, has revealed another sad development in her prognosis. There are no further treatments for Bonnie, and doctors expect she has until March.

The family is continuing to fundraise to create as many special memories together as possible and to help keep the family afloat while they care for Bonnie.

Bonnie-leigh Spence at Disneyland Paris with family.

"It was just heartbreaking," said Caroline, recalling the moment they learned of the devastating development.

"You hold onto some tiny glimmer of hope that some miracle will happen, but unfortunately, we're just not that lucky. We knew the odds when it started, but it's now our reality.

"We're just waiting for nature to take its course. The doctors said she'll keep on going until one day, when she's a bit tired and won't want to get up, then it will be a rapid decline, which is kind of what we want."

Caroline says that she and Bonnie's dad, Iain, were off work for a year while the youngster had treatment in Newcastle.

Six-year-old Bonnie-leigh Spence has Stage 4 Rhabdoid Sarcoma Cancer.

"Financially, it's taken a toll, which is why we're pushing the GoFundMe again. We want to raise as much as possible. Things are tight, and we don't want to be in a position of saying 'no' and either picking an experience or paying the mortgage, and it's getting to that point. We've managed to make it work so far, and we're trying to keep that momentum going."

Bonnie was diagnosed with Rhabdoid Sarcoma Cancer last year. It then spread to her lungs, bloodstream, and other organs, and her arm was amputated following an infection.

Since launching the fundraiser, the family has raised more than £31,000 from nearly 1,000 donations, allowing them to treat Bonnie and her siblings to a special trip to Disneyland Paris over Christmas.

"Thank you to everyone," said Caroline.

"It's difficult begging strangers to pay our bills, but that's the situation. We know everyone is feeling the pinch, so we're really grateful."

To donate, please visit https://gofund.me/7c354c5fb