The parents of a three-year-old girl say their lives were "crushed" after a routine eye test led to a brain tumour diagnosis, but they are now celebrating a major milestone in her recovery.
Brave Harper, from Cannock, was unable to eat or walk on her worst days following her shocking diagnosis in August 2025.
Following an eye test, Harper was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital where her parents received the devastating news that she had medulloblastoma.
Harper underwent a seven-hour emergency operation led by consultant paediatric neurosurgeon William Lo to remove the fast-growing tumour.
"The news was crushing but we were so thankful to have Mr Lo there to guide us," said Harper's dad, George Gibson. "He walked into our lives at the exact moment when we needed him."
Following the surgery, Harper faced months of gruelling chemotherapy at the hospital's specialist cancer centre. In total, Harper spent eight months in hospital as she underwent treatment. Her family say the experience pushed them to their limits.
George said: "There were days where Harper couldn't eat, days where she couldn't walk, days no child should ever have to face. But every single time, there was someone there, someone fighting her corner. Someone reminding us we weren't alone."
In an emotional milestone, Harper has now completed her treatment. She marked the moment by ringing the hospital's end-of-treatment bell, surrounded by loved ones.
Her dad said: "When Harper rang that bell, it was not just the end of treatment. It was the closing of a chapter that tested us in every possible way. It was relief, pride, gratitude, and a moment that belongs just as much to the people who got her there as it does to us."
Harper's mum, Laura Gibson, said: "We will never forget the love, care and compassion shown to Harper but also to us as parents. In the moments where we were at our lowest, they lifted us. They didn't just look after our daughter, they looked after our whole family."
George is training to complete a huge 268-mile run for Birmingham Children's Hospital charity in June. He will be running The Montane Spine Race, widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance races in the world.
"Every mile will be for Harper and every step will be a thank-you to everyone at the hospital," he said. "There aren't really words strong enough to describe what the consultants, doctors, nurses and support staff have done for us. They were the calm in the chaos. The people who sat with us on the hardest nights and somehow made the unbearable feel manageable. They didn't just treat Harper, they carried us as a family. We'll forever be thankful."
