Little girl with inoperable brain tumour branded 'inspirational'

Girl, five, with an inoperable brain tumour is hailed an ‘inspiration’ by This Morning as her mother joins Queen’s Park Rangers footballers to hike Snowdon to raise money for her care

  • Dottie Rees, who has a tumour, and her dad John from Grays, Essex, joined hosts Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning to discuss her fundraising 
  • Mum Louise spoke to the show via videolink as she climbed Mount Snowdon with players from QPR football club to raise money for Dottie’s care costs
  • The family shared the story on Twitter, with it being noticed by Bianca Austin – wife of QPR player Charlie, the club are now helping with the fundraise 

This Morning viewers have been left touched by an ‘inspirational’ and ‘cheeky’ five-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020.

Dottie Rees and her dad John from Grays, Essex, joined hosts Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning today while her mum Louise spoke to the show via videolink as she climbed Mount Snowdon with players from QPR football club, who the family support.

The team are helping Dottie to raise money for her care, as well as charities that have looked after her, including Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Dottie is undergoing chemotherapy as her tumour is now inoperable, but previously had a craniotomy to get rid of fluid on her brain.

John explained that Dottie was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020.

At the time, Dottie started feeling under the weather and as Louise was away at her grandmother’s funeral and John thought Dottie was missing her mum.

Dottie Rees and her dad John from Grays, Essex, joined hosts Philip Scofield and Holly Willoughby on This Morning today while her mum Louise spoke to the show via videolink as she climbed Mount Snowdon with players from QPR football club, who the family support

The team are helping Dottie to raise money for her care, as well as charities that have looked after her, including Great Ormond Street Hospital

But after a few days, they took Dottie to the GP, who said it was just a viral infection.

However, trusting her mother’s instinct, Louise knew there was something wrong and insisted on taking her to A&E  where she had an emergency MRI scan and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. 

They were then sent straight to Great Ormond Street.

‘They blue lighted us to Great Ormond Street. It was a bit of a relief for us because we’d been under Great Ormond Street for 10 years with our other daughter Bella,’ John explained. 

‘It’s a bit of a home from home. Dottie was put on steroids. Doctors said “if she can give us the weekend to get rid of the fluid build up on her brain, we can operate on Monday” that was on the Friday’.

This was at the height of lockdown meaning only Dottie’s parents were able to visit her, while they weren’t able to see their older two daughters – Lily, 15, and Bella, nine,  for three weeks who were staying with their grandparents.

Louise joined in the hike today with former QPR players Marc Bircham and Jamie Mackie – unfortunately Bianca and fellow QPR WAG Victoria Dykes who was integral in organising the event couldn’t join in on the hike as they both tested positive for Covid.

To avoid Dottie catching Covid,  when they did meet, they had to stand outside wearing face masks and speak through a window.

The family shared the story on Twitter, with it being noticed by Bianca Austin – wife of QPR player Charlie.

‘Bianca contacted us on social media at the tail end of last year. She was saying how inspiring Dottie is, and saying she liked the way we portray the highs and the lows of her journey on Twitter.

‘She wanted to invite us to a fan zone day at the club, but that was cancelled because of Covid. Then said she wanted to climb a mountain.

John explained that Dottie was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020. At the time, Dottie started feeling under the weather and as Louise was away at her grandmother’s funeral and John thought Dottie was missing her mum.

The family shared the story on Twitter, with it being noticed by Bianca Austin – wife of QPR player Charlie. Dottie is pictured at a QPR game

Louise joined in the hike today with former QPR players Marc Bircham and Jamie Mackie – unfortunately Bianca and fellow QPR WAG Victoria Dykes who was integral in organising the event couldn’t join in on the hike as they both tested positive for Covid.

Speaking while wrapped in a pink QPR staff while on Mount Snowdon, Louise explained: ‘I started doing my training but Dottie got really poorly, so I was walking around the hospital room.

‘We’ve done about an hour, I don’t know how I got here.

Fans were touched by Dottie, with one writing: ‘I hope Dottie has a long and happy life she is so brave and strong, no child should suffer any pain in life.

‘QPR are like family now. Bianca has been so welcoming, Bianca particularly, I’m gutted she isn’t here today because if it wasn’t for her us crazy people wouldn’t be here either.

Marc added: ‘The club was amazing when we were players, there’s such a community feel around it. I have three kids myself so anything I could do to help.’

The were joined by QPR & QPR Trust staff, NHS staff and sponsors as well as QPR’s mascot, Jude the Cat. 

Fans were touched by Dottie, with one writing: ‘I hope Dottie has a long and happy life she is so brave and strong, no child should suffer any pain in life.

‘Oh Dottie, you’re beautiful, brave and a huge inspiration,’ said another.

‘ Bravo to them. Also bravo to Dottie. It’s nice to see people on here for good reasons,’ wrote a third.

‘#ThisMorning beautiful amazing little girl Dottie.  The nation is so proud of her,’ said a fouth.

A fifth added: ‘Balling my eyes out watching Dottie on #ThisMorning Dottie you are so beautiful and brave.’

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