Cancer survivor Millie O’Shea undergoes five-hour operation

Surgeons operating on cancer survivor Millie O’Shea have been unable to remove all of her tumour.

Millie, 15, underwent an extensive five-hour operation on Wednesday 1 May, where surgeons discovered a large tumour against her heart.

Her family have said this is 'the worst news we could have received'.

In a statement, they said: “Millie’s now in recovery after a long five-hour operation, but they couldn’t do what they were hoping to do as her large tumour was against her heart.

“They were unable to take it all out as there are also tumours on and around her breathing tube and on the back of her chest wall and her main artery.

“They were discussing whether to take the full right lung out, but they were unable to do that as her other lung is also full of tumours and if this procedure had gone ahead, Millie probably wouldn’t have been here.

“They have taken out what they could, but it is too dangerous to do anything else.

“Heartbroken is an understatement, honestly we have no more words.

“We all love you so much Millie and with everything in us we are here for you every step of this long journey that you will be going through.

“Please keep fighting you gorgeous girl. Thank you to everyone for their good wishes.”

Millie is expected to be at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for another week.

Millie, from Shawforth, was just a toddler when she was first diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour, which was growing inside her kidney in 2006.

She finally got the all clear 11 years ago, but the news in February that it had returned has devastated the whole family.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/127511/millie-o'shea-faces-further-operation-to-remove-a-large-tumour