Thousands raised to help girl with tumour achieve her '˜happy list'

SHE'S a plucky schoolgirl who loves practising gymnastics and playing with her friends.

Six-year-old Jasmin Henderson faces an uncertain prognosis.

But behind her infectious smile, Jasmin Henderson is battling an aggressive brain tumour, and has just finished an intense course of radiotherapy.

Almost £4000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page after the six year-old, from Livingston, wrote a “Happy List” of all the things she’d like to do over the next year with her family.

And her dad, Neil, has said they are now “living for the present” as it is unknown what the future holds.

Some of Jasmin’s dreams include visiting Disneyland, embarking on a trip to Pizza Hut, a sleepover at her friend’s and going to the Zoo.

Her family were devastated when she was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in November last year - just weeks after her celebrating the birth of her baby brother, Leyton.

Her dad and stepmum, Sam, noticed a sudden change in her behaviour as she began having nightmares and refusing to go to school.

After her health took a turn for the worst they took her to the doctors, and when she was referred to hospital, they received the devastating news.

Neil said: “We are absolutely heartbroken, she brings so much love and happiness to our family, we cannot imagine life without her. Sam and I have had to adopt an approach to life that involves living in the present, putting all our efforts into the immediate happiness of our children and especially Jasmin.

“She has drawn up a ‘happy list’ of things she would like to do this year, once she has recovered from her radiotherapy.

“Many friends, family and kind-hearted people have contacted us asking to contribute financially to ensure her wishes and dreams come true.

“That’s why we decided to start her fundraising page.”

Neil described Jasmin as a “lovely, energetic and affectionate” daughter.

He told of how he brought her and her sister Shola up alone for the first few years of their life, after their mother died suddenly.

After meeting Sam, life was looking positive for the trio and the girls were looking forward to the arrival of their little brother.

Neil, who works for the tax office, said: “It should finally be a happy and settled time for my girls, but instead we are faced with a new tragedy.

“It’s been such a horrible time for us and there is no cure.

“Radiotherapy temporarily halts the progression of the growth but thankfully we will now have an undetermined amount of time to enjoy life with Jasmin, to work through her happy list and help her live some of her dreams.

“We have to hope for a long period in which to take her on this journey, and then when her condition does change again we will take the next steps to help her medically.”

He added: “The generosity people have shown is humbling.

“I would say thank-you to everyone for their sympathy and for being touched by our daughter’s plight.

“We didn’t want to ask anyone for anything but so many people wanted to help.”

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