WATCH: Little girl's cough turns out to be cancer

Daisy Wigginton was struck down with cold-like symptoms and her parents gave her Calpol and nursed her at home.
Daisy Wigginton in hospitalDaisy Wigginton in hospital
Daisy Wigginton in hospital

But when the cough became persistent, they took her to her GP, where doctors told them it was asthma and prescribed the four-year-old with an inhaler and steroids.

The treatment initially appeared to work but two weeks later the deep, chesty cough returned – and was even worse.

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Her parents Darren and Ria Wigginton took her to A&E when she became lethargic and hot and she was immediately admitted to Southampton General Hospital.

Daisy Wigginton in hospitalDaisy Wigginton in hospital
Daisy Wigginton in hospital

But doctors then made the bombshell discovery that she wasn’t suffering from asthma at all – but actually had cancer.

Daisy lives in Bracklesham Bay with her sisters Primrose, five, and baby Willow, three months.

She was diagnosed with a cancerous lymphoblastic lymphoma in her lung in November.

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Since then, her parents have been juggling child care while she receives chemotherapy and steroids around the clock in hospital.

Daisy Wigginton in hospitalDaisy Wigginton in hospital
Daisy Wigginton in hospital

It has left the family in a worrying financial predicament and they have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help them through. Funds raised will be used to support the family in daily life and to buy equipment to improve the children’s lives on the ward, such as fridges and freezers for cold drinks and ice lollies.

And a Dance4Daisy campaign was launched nationwide by Havant company The PE Suite, an innovative teaching resource that challenges children to a greater depth of learning.

The campaign aims to raise funds for four-year-old Daisy Wigginton from Bracklesham Bay, who has cancer, and the Howard One Ward, where she is receiving treatment.

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Ria Wigginton, Daisy’s mum, said: ‘Daisy is so excited about the Dance4Daisy event.

‘She loves dancing to this song with her sister and can’t wait to see how many kids learn the routine for her. ‘I can’t wait to see her face as she watches it. We’re really grateful to all the schools who are keen to get involved and help raise funds to bring a bit of happiness to all the kids on the ward.’

Ria and husband Darren describe their daughter as a cheeky little thing. She had a persistent cough that was first diagnosed by the GP as a lower chest infection. Antibiotics did not help, so it was then diagnosed as asthma but the inhaler she was given did not work either. One weekend in November, she was lethargic and boiling hot, so was taken to A&E to been seen.

‘She just was not her usual self. After listening to her chest with a stethoscope, doctors were concerned that air was not coming out of one lung.

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‘After having an X-ray, they could see that Daisy had a collapsed lung and a tumour squashing her airways. After more tests, biopsies and scans we were told that Daisy has T -cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, a type of cancer. Since this diagnosis, our worlds have fallen apart.’

Ria and Darren said they are unable work, as one of them always has to stay by Daisy’s side, day and night.

‘Everything seems a little too much for us at the moment and we are giving our all to make sure that Daisy gets better and beats this disease. Daisy should be living like any other child of her age but instead is in bed and very wobbly on her feet, feeling unwell and tired.

‘This is a huge contrast from the child that she once was - she loved being outdoors on her bike or playing with her sisters but now has lost all interest. We really could do with a little help to ease some of the burdens of life right now.’

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