Huge birthday wishes to an amazing little girl who has had 10 operations on her brain

Lyla O’Donovan is eight years old and the inspirational youngster marked her big day with hundreds of birthday wishes coming her way on social media.

Celebrities from as far away as the USA wished her well. Boxers, friends, family and even complete strangers all sent messages to Lyla who won a Hartlepool Mail Child of Courage Award last year, and who has rarely been out of the limelight.

She was only three when she was found to have a brain tumour. Since her diagnosis, Lyla has had to deal with meningitis, hydrocephalus and repeated hospital visits.

Earlier this year, she had her 10th operation. It was needed as medics felt scar tissue from previous operations had fused with her brain stem, and fluid which would have normally drained through the spinal cord was not draining fast enough.

She even made a video to tell the world she was going to be brave as she faced up to yet another hospital stay.

Today, though, it was all about enjoying a day with her family as she reached another milestone.

Dad Paul, from Hartlepool, said: “She is my inspiration for what she has done. She has lived with it for so long and she does not know any different. She doesn’t know how to feel any different or how to feel normal.

"She only knows how to live her life of hospital appointments and scans, and she deals with it. I couldn’t do what she has done. For her to have that positivity is incredible.”

The pandemic has put paid to Lyla’s hopes of having a birthday tea party with her friends.

Instead, she will have a small party at home with dad Paul, 34, a corporal in the British Army, mum Kirsty, and siblings Henry, Olivia, Lilley and Reece.

Paul said: “Some of the celebrities who support Lyla will be Facetiming her and seeing how she is doing. We have lots of videos to show Lyla which are birthday wishes from celebrities.”

Lyla’s first operation, in 2016, lasted for 15 hours and Lyla was only given a 50% chance of survival.

But despite everything she has been through, it is Lyla who thinks of others.

There is a Facebook page called Lyla’s brain tumour journey which offers support to families with a child who has a life threatening illness.

And Lyla and her big sister Lilley, 12, are sending off 400 selection boxes through their project called Lyla and Lilley’s Stars. Its aim is to make youngsters feel more cheerful when they are going through tough times.

Hospitals in Durham, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Exeter, Leeds and Manchester are expected to benefit from the selection boxes.

Lyla is also waiting for news about another up-and-coming hospital appointment.

Her parents have been told she faces a three-to-four-week stay in hospital where doctors will try to induce a seizure in a bid to find out more about her health.

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