Children with Cancer UK releases 'Real Stories' film for Sarcoma Awareness Month in July

 
As part of Sarcoma Awareness Month this July, 11-year old Glaswegian Morven Macdonald is sharing her journey with a rare type of cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, in a film produced by national childhood cancer charity, Children with Cancer UK.
 
Morven was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in January 2020 when she was seven years old. A few months earlier in November 2019, her mother Cara noticed a slight drooping in her left eyelid and thinking it was the development of a lazy eye, took her to the optician.
 
Cara explains:
In just a few weeks, the drooping eyelid had drooped down further and had begun to bulge outwards and had turned purple. We were very alarmed by the appearance of the eye and chased up for an MRI. A tumour was found, and a biopsy followed. A very long and terrifying week later we were given the results that it was cancer. It was found the cancer was localised but would need immediate treatment of nine rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Our world was turned upside down.
 
In September 2020 after months of treatment, we were given the news that the cancer had gone and the treatment had been successful. She is now almost three years all clear and we can’t even believe it happened. All we can do is hope and pray she stays well. Morven loves playing football.
When asked in the Real Stories film, she said that her greatest achievement so far was to be signed by Rangers Academy:
My family are big Rangers fans and since I was young, I’d always think ‘I want to be playing for them’. I’ve always tried to achieve to try and get there. To play for Chelsea and have five Ballon d’Ors when I’m 21. I achieve high.
Her message to other children and young people going through cancer journeys:
Just because you are in the hospital it doesn’t mean you have to stop. Whenever you get a chance, get out, keep fit and just do the things you want to do. You don’t need to think of yourself as different to anyone else.
Sarcomas are rare types of cancer that develop in the supporting tissues of the body, such as bone, muscle or cartilage. There are two main types of sarcoma, soft tissue sarcomas and bone sarcomas. More than half of all soft tissue sarcoma diagnosed in childhood are rhabdomyosarcoma. Children for Cancer UK has released a film on soft tissue sarcoma as part of their 12 Groups of Cancer campaign.
Mum Cara + Morven
Amar Naher, CEO of Children with Cancer UK, said:
We are delighted to hear Morven is thriving and we are very grateful she is helping us raise awareness about sarcoma during Sarcoma Awareness Month. Building awareness ensures that we never stop working to improve outcomes for any child or young person with cancer. We believe that every child and young person deserves to have their whole life ahead of them, but cancer is still the biggest cause of death in children under the age of 15. ​Faster diagnosis of childhood, teenage and young adult cancers, and better, kinder treatments mean more children will survive​ without the life-inhibiting side effects that can often come with remission.
Children with Cancer UK is one of the leading national children’s charities working towards a world where every child survives cancer. In 2023, the charity invested over £4 million into life-saving research, funding 10 new research projects. For example in 2018 the charity funded a sarcoma project led by Professor Sibylle Mittnacht at the UCL Cancer Institute aimed to produce molecular evidence to identify optimal medicine combinations, and identify new routes based in specific dependencies that the team believe exist in cancer cells in order for them to survive molecular damage to their DNA.
 
The Real Stories campaign is a video series produced by Children with Cancer UK that hears from different people affected by childhood cancer. These videos seek to shine a light on some extraordinary individuals who have faced the unimaginable. To watch Morven’s Real Stories film, visit: Children with Cancer UK – YouTube Channel
 
Every month, Children with Cancer UK releases a new 12 Groups of Cancer film featuring explanations on each childhood and young adult cancer type in more detail, including a main symptoms list, possible treatment plans and potential side effects. The films will be supported by additional information on the charity’s website and social media channels. To find out about soft tissue sarcoma, visit:  12 Groups of Cancer on Children with Cancer UK’s – YouTube Channel

ENDS

Press Enquiries:
For all press enquiries, please contact:

Notes to Editors:

About Children with Cancer UK:
Children with Cancer UK is a leading children’s cancer charity dedicated to raising and investing funds into vital specialist research to save the lives of children and young people with cancer. Our mission is to improve survival rates and the quality of survival in young patients, and to find ways to prevent cancer in the future. Whilst working towards this, Children with Cancer UK funds support for children and their families as they navigate treatment. What began as a small memorial charity in 1988, has evolved into a major force raising more than £300 million and investing in over 200 pioneering research projects. 
For more information about Children with Cancer UK, visit www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk 
Morven treatment 1 min

Read other stories

Newsletter icon
Newsletter icon

Sign up to our e-newsletter today

Sign up to our e-newsletter and receive exclusive stories straight to your inbox. You will also find out about our latest childhood cancer research news along with updates on our fundraising events, charity news and opportunities to support us. Don’t miss out!

By signing up to this newsletter I agree to receive general and financial appeal emails from Children with Cancer UK