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Sophies Journey

Sophie was just 9 years old when she was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. A bright, active, and joyful child, she loved dancing, baking, art, and spending time with her sisters, Lucy and Amelia. She was the middle child of parents Charlotte and Gareth Fairall.

In July 2020, she began experiencing persistent stomach pain and nausea. Initial GP visits and a 111 consultation misattributed her symptoms to infection or even a first period, delaying a diagnosis.

By early September, Sophie’s mother’s instincts led them to A&E, where doctors discovered a 12 cm abdominal lump. Transferred to Southampton, Sophie underwent a six-hour operation that removed 95% of the mass and confirmed a diagnosis of Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer.

A week later, Sophie began nine rounds of aggressive chemotherapy, losing her hair and enduring severe side effects with unwavering positivity. After four cycles, she received daily radiotherapy in London for seven weeks—the maximum safe dose for her age. Although this wiped out almost all the tumour, a small remnant remained near her bladder, managed with maintenance chemo at home.

Eight weeks into maintenance, a new 2.5 cm growth appeared in the treated area. Further chemotherapy was too toxic for Sophie’s damaged bowel, and when the tumour continued to grow, she and her family made the heart-wrenching decision to stop treatment.

Sophie spent her final months at home, focusing on a “bucket list” of adventures she undertook despite pain and discomfort. She passed away peacefully on 18 September 2021, aged ten, surrounded by her family. Her spirit and smile never faded.

Before she died, Sophie outlined five changes she wished to see for children facing cancer:

Play specialists available seven days a week in hospital
Improved, child-friendly hospital meals
Meals provided for parents staying overnight
Mandatory childhood-cancer training for GPs and healthcare staff
Increased funding for childhood-cancer research (currently just 3%)

Today, we honour Sophie’s legacy by campaigning to make these goals a reality—so no family faces her journey alone.