Cancer Survivor and Heart Warrior Ehryn goes back to school

She’s beaten cancer, overcome sepsis and been given a new heart – now seven year old Ehryn Andrews is ready to take on her next challenge as she prepares to start the new school year.

Last June, following a battle with a rare form of bone cancer and life-threatening sepsis which damaged Ehryn’s heart, the brave youngster needed a lifesaving heart transplant.

Ehryn had to be transferred over 300 miles away from her home in Moray to Newcastle upon Tyne’s Freeman Hospital’s specialist Children’s Heart Unit.

For two months, Ehryn and her family faced an agonising wait for a donor heart to become available. But thanks to The Sick Children’s Trust, she had her Mum Lyanne and Dad Ross by her side. The charity gave the family free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation at Scott House, located at the hospital.

Thankfully, a heart became available in time and Ehryn made an incredible recovery, once again defying doctors’ expectations.

Sick Children’s Trust Ambassador Lyanne says: “Ehryn is doing better than we ever thought was possible – it’s hard to believe how ill she was a year ago. Ehryn has gone through so much – cancer, sepsis and heart damage – and every time she has managed to beat them. She’s one determined little girl.

“It will be emotional to see her start the new term and go into P3 with her classmates, but it makes us so proud of our daughter. You’d never know she’s had to fight so hard in her short life. She’s always smiling and is back to being the happy girl she was before her illnesses.”

Ehryn, whose favourite subject is art, will head back to school on Tuesday 16^th August and has a bright future ahead of her. The schoolgirl and her family still have to make the 300 mile trip to Freeman Hospital for regular check-ups, where they also call in to see The Sick Children’s Trust’s team at Scott House.

Lyanne continues: “The Sick Children’s Trust supported us with free accommodation at the hospital and by being there we were able to see Ehryn at any time – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Without The Sick Children’s Trust’s Scott House, we wouldn’t have been able to cope. We practically had to move from Moray to Newcastle so we could be there to support our daughter. The Sick Children’s Trust made a stressful time a lot easier - for which we will be forever grateful.”

The Sick Children’s Trust runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ supporting families with seriously ill children in hospital. Scott House is one of two houses located in Newcastle, the other, Crawford House, supports families at The Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Scott House Manager, Andrew Leadbitter, says: “Ehryn is one of the bravest girls I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Her smile lights up the room and as she heads back to school at last, you’d never know she’s battled cancer, sepsis and received a lifesaving heart transplant.

“Hundreds of families like Ehryn’s walk through the doors of Scott House not knowing whether their child will be one of the lucky ones to get a heart. All they can do is wait and hope that they will be ok. And while they wait, Scott House is here for them, so they can be there to support their sick child during the hardest time of their lives.”

For more information on The Sick Children’s Trust, please visit www.sickchildrenstrust.org.