When Megan Rowe noticed her young daughter Heidi tilting her head and limping, she initially thought the toddler was just being shy or still learning to walk, told the Mirror. But as Heidi’s symptoms worsened, Megan grew concerned. The one-year-old began dragging her foot and showed signs of imbalance, prompting Megan to visit the doctor. After a preliminary examination, the GP suspected clubfoot, a congenital condition affecting foot positioning.
However, only hours after their visit, Heidi’s condition took a sudden turn. Megan, a mother of two, noticed her daughter could no longer walk on her foot. Rushing to the hospital, Megan sought further answers, but doctors again pointed to clubfoot. Upon returning home to Wigan, Heidi’s symptoms worsened, eventually leading to a loss of movement in her right arm, reported by the Manchester Evening News.
“She didn’t seem herself,” Megan, 24, told the Manchester Evening News. Alarmed, Megan took Heidi to A&E, where doctors decided to perform a CT scan. The results raised concerns, leading to a more detailed MRI, which revealed a heartbreaking diagnosis: Heidi had a brain tumor. Further tests at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital confirmed that Heidi’s tumor was a high-grade, diffuse midline glioma, an aggressive and terminal form of cancer that affects midline brain structures.
Complications from a biopsy caused a brain bleed, requiring intensive care. Doctors placed a drain in Heidi’s brain and inserted a tube to help her breathe. Tragically, her condition led to a collapsed lung, which required further intervention. Heidi’s diagnosis was devastating: diffuse midline glioma is inoperable and does not respond to chemotherapy, with an average survival rate of less than a year.
“They gave us a time frame, saying that people with this kind of tumor have only lived for up to a year,” Megan shared. Radiotherapy may help shrink the tumor and extend Heidi’s life, but treatment options are limited. Megan expressed her heartbreak, stating, “We’re praying for a miracle, to be honest, because we want her here forever.”
The family is now focused on providing Heidi with the best quality of life and prolonging her time as much as possible. Supporters have organized a fundraiser to help them navigate this challenging period.
Reflecting on the news, Megan shared, “You find out she has a tumor, so you think she will be fine—they’ll get rid of it, there are things they can do. But when you find out what it is and that they can’t do anything, it’s a lot. I wish I could take it away from her… I just take it day by day. You don’t plan for tomorrow.”