A baby was left to battle an aggressive brain tumour after doctors wrongly diagnosed her vomiting as tonsilitis.

Nancy Dakin, now three, experienced constant sickness and tremors when she was 12 months old.

Her parents, Gemma and Sam Dakin, took the young girl to the doctors in September 2023 - where medical professionals blamed the symptoms on the common illness.

It was only when antibiotics failed to work and Nancy's condition significantly deteriorated that she was referred to the Royal Derby Hospital.

Ms Dakin, who knew something was 'seriously wrong', said Nancy began regressing completely, with her complexion becoming pale, grey and lifeless.

The 12-month-old also lost the ability to sit up, crawl, walk and talk properly.

Eventually Nancy was neurologically assessed and a doctor identified a large tumour in her left frontal robe.

The lump was found to be a grade 3 ependymoma - a rare type of brain cancer.

Ms Dakin, 33, from Castle Donington, Leicestershire, said: 'Nancy is our little whirlwind.

'She's cheeky, funny, and completely full of life, and everywhere she goes, you can hear laughter.

'She loves being outside, especially with her big brother Mickey, and going to the park is her favourite thing to do.

'This all started with vomiting that just wouldn't go away.'

The doting mother recalled initially being told her daughter had tonsillitis and so was given antibiotics - but that nothing made a difference, and Nancy just kept getting worse.

Ms Dakin said: 'She then developed tremors in her arm and became pale and lifeless. She stopped doing all the things she had just learned, like sitting, crawling and trying to walk.

'It felt like she was slipping away, and I knew something was seriously wrong.

'When we went to A&E, I felt like we were being brushed off, but I refused to leave.

'I know my child, and I knew this wasn't just a sickness bug or dehydration.

'Watching her get worse while not being listened to was both terrifying and frustrating.'

On top of hearing the tragic revelation, Nancy's parents were devastated to find out that initially, surgery might not be possible due to the size of the tumour.

Ms Dakin said: 'When they finally did the scan and told us they had found a tumour, it was like the ground disappeared beneath us.

'We were told surgery wouldn't be possible and that we should prepare for the worst and make her comfortable.

'In that moment, our whole world came crashing down in a way that is impossible to put into words.'

That same night, Nancy was transferred to Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham.

Specialists put Nancy on fluids, IV morphine and steroids to reduce the swelling and stabilise her.

A neurosurgeon explained the tumour had, fortunately, not taken over the youngster's brain and outlined a surgery plan.

For the first time since hearing the diagnosis, Ms Dakin said she felt 'a sense of hope'.

Nancy went through two procedures, with the first removing 95 per cent of the tumour and the second, a week later, finishing the rest to ensure the operation did not pose any risk of mobility.

Shortly after, to ensure the cancer had gone completely, Nancy began high-dose chemotherapy in December 2023 when she was 15 months old.

Ms Dakin said: 'The treatment was extremely challenging for her, as she wasn't able to get out of her cot and play while the chemotherapy was running. It made her very poorly, drowsy and constantly sick.

'She began to associate sickness with food and eventually stopped eating altogether, which led to her having an NG tube fitted for feeding.'

During her treatment, Nancy also had one of her ovaries removed and preserved due to the potential impact chemotherapy could have on her future fertility.

Ms Dakin said it was an 'incredibly difficult decision', but would give her 'the best chance for the future'.

After the operation, Nancy was described as being in severe pain and inconsolable, even with medication.

Ms Dakin said: 'As parents, all you want to do is take their pain away, but we couldn't, and that was the hardest part.

'After hours of distress, she eventually cried herself to sleep, and although she improved slightly once we got her home and gave her medication, she remained unsettled for several days.

'It was one of the hardest parts of the entire journey.'

On January 6, 2025, Nancy completed her chemotherapy and rang the bell to celebrate being declared cancer-free.

She continues to attend regular follow-up scans to monitor her condition.

The Dakin family has said it is now sharing Nancy's story to raise awareness of brain tumour symptoms in children and to support Brain Tumour Research.

Ms Dakin is also taking on the 200k in May Your Way challenge to raise vital funds for research.

She said: 'I'm taking on the 200k challenge to raise money because more research is desperately needed. During Nancy's treatment, I learned that research into brain tumours receives the least funding of all cancer types, which just doesn't make sense when it kills more children than leukaemia.

'I'll be walking, running and indoor cycling to reach the target, and Nancy and Mickey will be joining me whenever they can. 

'It won't be easy, especially balancing it all while caring for Nancy, but on the tough days, I'll be thinking about how far she's come and how research has helped save her life.

'If sharing our story and doing this challenge helps even one family or contributes in some small way to future breakthroughs, then it will all be worth it.'

Ashley McWilliams, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: 'Nancy's story highlights how easily the symptoms of brain tumours in children can be mistaken for more common illnesses, leading to delays in diagnosis. 

'The strength shown by Nancy and her family is truly inspiring, and their determination to raise awareness and funds will help drive the research needed to improve outcomes for patients.

'We would encourage anyone who has been moved by Nancy's story to consider taking part in our 200k in May Your Way challenge.

'By getting involved, supporters can play a vital role in helping us fund life-saving research and bring hope to families affected by this devastating disease.'