Toddler diagnosed with terminal cancer after struggling to hold head up following cold has 9 months to live

The parents of a two-year-old with an inoperable brain tumour have started a fundraiser for clinical trials abroad and vow they will “do anything to save her". Toddler Arya Tripney was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare form of brain tumour, just weeks ago.

Parents Jordan, 33, and Lisa, 38, took her to the hospital after noticing she was struggling to hold her head up following a cold. Doctors at Forth Valley Hospital rushed Arya to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow, where she was given an MRI scan, followed by the diagnosis.

Jordan and Lisa were told that her tumour is inoperable, with radiotherapy expected to prolong her life expectancy from six months to nine months. The family from Grangemouth in Scotland have now begun fundraising in the hopes of finding a clinical trial that could help Arya survive.

“We noticed that her head was resting on her shoulders, like her head was heavy,” said dad Jordan. “We took her up to Forth Valley Hospital and they checked her over and said it was the back end of a virus.

"By the Sunday, she hadn’t got any better, so we took her to the doctors on Monday morning, and they sent her up to the hospital again. We were rushed through to Glasgow, where she got an MRI on the Tuesday, and diagnosed with DIPD, which is a brain tumour. It’s inoperable.”

Jordan and Lisa, who have two other children, Alyssa, 14, and Jaxon, 5, were set to get married later this year, but have put everything to the side to focus on getting Arya the help she needs. The family’s fundraiser has reached a whopping £36,000 in just four days, and Arya’s parents are consulting with doctors to find out what options are available for her.

“It’s been absolute hell,” said Jordan. ''Our whole world has been turned upside down. We were meant to get married this year, and we’d just been looking at wee bridesmaid and flower girl dresses for her. Now, we’re looking at options – the money could be for travelling abroad for clinical trials or for making memories.

“I can’t thank people enough for their support. We never expected this – we’re so grateful. The whole community has come together and they’re all behind us – it’s overwhelming. We’re currently waiting to hear back from her doctors about possible clinical trials for her. We’ll do anything to save her.”

Arya remains in good spirits – with her family describing her as having a great sense of humour. She is currently on a course of steroid medication, which can have an impact on her mood – but dad Jordan says she can always be calmed down by a Harry Styles song.

“Looking at her, you wouldn’t know anything is wrong,” he said. “She’s a wee character with a great personality and she always has us laughing – she’s still her wee usual self. She is on steroids now, so she’s a wee bit more angry than usual – but she stops her tantrums whenever Harry Styles comes on.”

To make a donation towards Arya's potential medical treatment, visit the GoFundMe website.