Hopes little Lowri will be home at Llanfairfechan for Christmas

Dec 24 2008 by Michelle Coyle, North Wales Weekly News

Lowri Haf Roberts

ADORABLE Lowri Haf Roberts is looking forward to spending her second Christmas with her family in Llanfairfechan after undergoing her second bout of chemotherapy at Alder Hey last week.

The tot was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer, and has a tumour between her bowel and bladder.

Lowri’s mum Lynne told the Weekly News: “We went to Alder Hey with Lowri last week and she had the chemotherapy between Wednesday and Friday.

“She’s coping well and isn’t bad at the moment, but we will have to wait and see how everything goes. There is a chance she may spend Christmas in Ysbyty Gwynedd because her immune system is on the way down following treatment, and should she get an infection she would have nothing to fight it with. We are keeping her warm and inside, but obviously you can’t protect her from everything.

“Lowri is a bit too young to be getting excited about Christmas this year, but her older sister Erin is more into it. However, we went to Ysbyty Gwynedd last week and Lowri did meet Father Christmas there.”

As part of Lowri’s treatment, she has been to see specialists in France but her parents were recently told her tumour would need to be reduced by chemotherapy before it can be treated.

Lynne said: “We were told she would need two more chemotherapy treatments beforehand to help shrink the tumour. Lowri will be having a scan in January to see if it has shrunk and hopefully it will be small enough to be treated by the doctors in Paris.

“The health board is paying for the medical treatment, but we have to pay for flights and accommodation. The community in Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan have done so much to help with fundraising for Lowri.”

Lowri, along with William Mooney and Caine Lloyd Roberts, received a cheque for £1,000 from the now defunct Smiles charity which was set up to raise funds for youngsters in the quarry villages. The funds have gone towards redecorating Lowri’s bedroom in her new home on Bryn Mair and helping with travel costs.

To donate to the Lowri Haf Appeal, visit any Midland bank or call Andrew Hinchliff, chairman of the fund, on 01248 681274.

michelle.coyle