Brave youngster Brooklyn makes awards night days after major surgery

Cancer sufferer Brooklyn Hutchinson, seven, with mum Joanne Hutchinson.

Seven-year-old Brooklyn Hutchinson, from Hamilton Street, Peterlee, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in August 2015. She had a Wilms’ Tumour in her right kidney.

To combat the cancer in September 2015 brave Brooklyn underwent chemotherapy - which caused her to temporarily lose the use of her legs and arms - and also had her kidney removed.

In October Brooklyn was given the all clear and by February 2016, Brooklyn - who lives with mum Joanne, dad Shaun and brother Jay Hutchinson - was well enough to go back to Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Peterlee.

But nearly a year after her diagnosis, in August last year, a routine scan at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle found a second Whilms’ Tumour in her right lung.

Mrs Hutchinson, 39, said: “Everything was going great but then last July she started going downhill.

“She started going off her food and I knew then that something was wrong.

Cancer sufferer Brooklyn Hutchinson, seven.

“I took her to the GP and he said that because of her history we were best off taking her up to the RVI to get checked.

“That was on August 15 and it was then that doctors found a tumour on her right lung.”

Brooklyn had to undergo more doses of chemotherapy and her family even feared that her condition may be terminal.

On January 12 she had half her lung removed.

Incredibly, the youngster was well enough to go home the following Tuesday - January 17 - and just five days after her major surgery.

Brooklyn’s bravery was recognised with a Child of Courage Award at this year’s Best of Wearside Awards - organised by The Mail’s sister paper The Sunderland Echo

Just two days after getting home, Brooklyn even made it along to the awards night itself where she joined other battling youngsters on stage to collect her award at the Stadium of Light on January 19.

Mrs Hutchinson said she couldn’t be prouder of her little girl.

Cancer sufferer Brooklyn Hutchinson in hospital.

“I am so proud of her,” she said. “She just gets everybody through it with her positivity.

“She is still undergoing chemotherapy at the moment and will need some radiotherapy but our fingers are crossed that she makes a full recovery.”