The mum of a little girl paralysed by a stroke and cancerous tumours has thanked the community for their ‘touching’ fundraisers.

It took doctors nine months to figure out what was wrong with Joanne Ewing’s daughter Jessica.

The 12-year-old suffered a stroke just after Christmas last year and her mum took her to A&E after she fell down the stairs at home.

Joanne told the Herald: “It is like she went to bed healthy and woke up ill.”

In August, having had multiple scans and biopsies, with doctors consulted from London and Aberdeen, Jessica was finally diagnosed with a extremely rare form of brain cancer called Germinola.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald:

The disease has affected her physically and mentally, and she struggles to remember things.

Before she was ill, Joanne said, Jessica loved sports and being active.

She said: “She played netball, football, she was never in.

“She is a tomboy. Now she can’t peddle a bike.

"She still thinks she can do the things she did before."

When lockdown struck it meant that the family were separated, with Jessica’s three sisters unable to visit her in hospital.

While Joanne was up with Jessica at the Queen Elizabeth children’s hospital in Glasgow, her eldest daughter, who is 19, had to look after the house.

Joanne said it is hard to put into words the impact the virus has had on the family.

But thankfully Jessica has found something to keep her occupied. The 12-year-old loves the social media app TikTok and has been making videos doing dances with the nurses and other staff at the Beatson and hospital where she has been receiving treatment.

Her mum told the Herald: "She is very independent, she likes to try and do things on her own.

"TikTok was an idea to keep Jessica fit as well as keeping the nurses entertained at the same time.

"She is a people person, she is always smiling and never complains."

Two fundraisers, one organised by Joanne’s friend Karen Frew, and the other by Daryn Hannah, a 16-year-old at Auchenharvie Academy, are aiming to help fund special equipment to improve her mobility.

Jessica’s sister Jodi and Karen’s daughter Henna are going to have their haircut on October 12 with at least 10 inches being donated to the Little Princess Trust which is making Jessica a wig.

Daryn and other boys at Jessica’s school will be braving the shave in a sponsored event on December 18, with the money going towards the Beatson Cancer Charity and Jessica’s fund.

Daryn said: “Jessica has missed quite a lot of school.

“It’s helping to make sure she is not at a disadvantage and keep her active as part of the community.”

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: Daryn Hannah is leading a group of boys at Auchenharvie in a sponsored Brave the Shave event.Daryn Hannah is leading a group of boys at Auchenharvie in a sponsored Brave the Shave event.

Joanne said Jessica wants nothing more than to get back to school along with her twin sister Hollie.

You can donate to Karen’s fundraiser here.

And you can support the Auchenharvie boy’s shave here.