Millie O'Shea celebrates 16th birthday with special prom

Six months after her cancer returned, Millie O’Shea has celebrated her 16th birthday with a very special prom.

Millie was three when she was first diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour and, after surgery and 34 weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she was finally given the all clear in 2008.

On GCSE day (Thursday 22 August), which was also her 16th birthday, she obtained a distinction in her BTEC PE from Whitworth Community High School, and her friends and family organised a special prom in Rawtenstall as she had been too ill to attend the school event.

In February this year, a large tumour was detected in Millie’s lung and further investigation found a multitude of smaller tumours in both lungs.

In April, after an operation, it was discovered the large tumour was connected to her heart, wrapped around her main artery and her trachea and so was inoperable.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/127635/cancer-survivor-millie-oshea-undergoes-fivehour-operation

After six months, and 10 rounds of chemotherapy, the large tumour has shrunk by half, but two of the smaller ones have grown.

The family are now waiting for the next x-ray on 9 September and a further CT scan four weeks later.

Susan said: “We are just hoping that the news we get next month is good. We would like to say thank you to everyone who made Millie’s birthday so special.”

Millie was transported to the prom in a helicopter, provided by Paul Harrison from Britannia, whose son Ben is a good friend of Millie’s cousin, Logan Westerman.

She took off from Lobden Golf Course in Whitworth and enjoyed an aerial view of Rossendale before landing at Marl Pits where a white Range Rover with a ‘Millie’ plate was waiting to take her to the prom at Revival in Rawtenstall.

 

 

Susan said: “Around 200 people were there and it was very special. We had kept that week free of treatment, but her levels were low so chemotherapy was delayed until the Monday of that week.

“She did so well and even managed to get up on the dance floor for a little while.”

Millie has now enrolled at Hopwood Hall College on a beauty course as she is currently not physically able to take up the BTEC scholarship she secured at Rochdale AFC.

She has played for four seasons at Rochdale and is in the Rochdale AFC Ladies Open Age Team. On Tuesday 20 August Millie was the mascot at Rochdale AFC for their game against Sunderland.

Britannia shop and café Demi-licious, where Millie’s aunt Caroline Westerman and friends Sara Carr and Maggie Whiteman work, organised the prom.

Caroline said: “We organised events to raise money to make her prom and birthday special. Eventwerx Party Hire provided the Range Rover and red carpet treatment at Revival, Whitworth Chippy paid for the balloon arch and Icing on the Cake in Bacup made the birthday cake.

“Lynn Christiansen from Sew Fabulous in Whitworth made a beautiful red dress to a design Millie picked and Si Smith provided free use of Revival.”