Little Lyla O’Donovan's brain tumour battle inspires new song raising money for national charity

A brave young girl fighting the effects of a brain tumour has inspired the creation of a new song to raise money for a national charity.
Brain Tumour Support's Young Champion Lyla O'Donovan.Brain Tumour Support's Young Champion Lyla O'Donovan.
Brain Tumour Support's Young Champion Lyla O'Donovan.

Six-year-old Lyla O’Donovan, whose dad Paul is from Hartlepool, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016 when she was just three has already been through nine operations and many periods in hospital.

Songwriter Peter Waite and singer Will Jennison have recorded a single to raise funds for Brain Tumour Support after they met Lyla, the charity’s Young Champion at an event earlier this year.

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Lyla O'Donovan with some of the birthday cards she has received from wellwishers following an appeal by her dad Paul.Lyla O'Donovan with some of the birthday cards she has received from wellwishers following an appeal by her dad Paul.
Lyla O'Donovan with some of the birthday cards she has received from wellwishers following an appeal by her dad Paul.

Lyla has faced many challenges following an operation to remove most of the tumour, but with the future uncertain her parents Paul and Kirsty have been making memories with her throughout 2019.

One was when she got to sing Let It Go with a Disney princess in May when Lyla met Peter who is a director with i-Stage, a corporate events and entertainment business in Sunderland.

Peter said: "Little did I know how it would affect me seeing this poorly girl and her inspirational family being so positive but at the same time have the worry of an unknown future for their little princess.

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"After speaking with her father we decided to write a song and dedicate it to all of the families that suffer on daily basis as they take care of their poorly children."

Called Forever In My Arms, the single is available to download on all major platforms including Apple Music.

Dad Paul, 34, a corporal in the British Army, said: "When Lyla went and recorded the Let It Go track, the team at i-Stage Group ask if they could write a song for Lyla and base it around how we felt when Lyla was diagnosed and going through her treatment and recovery.

“Please have a listen to the words - Peter has nailed it down to a tee."

Lyla's family, of Ushaw Moor, near Durham, have been supporting the work of Brain Tumour Support.

People can support Brain Tumour Support on Lyla’s Young Champion page at justgiving.com.

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