Goodbye Hallie: Little girl who captured nation’s hearts loses cancer battle

‘I wish more than anything you could have stayed with me, but you are just too good for this world.

‘I love you and miss you more than I can ever express. It hurts so deeply. My body is aching for you but when I close my eyes I can still feel you holding my hand and please hold mummy’s hand forever.

‘My love for you will never end, it grows more every day. Rest in perfect peace my little superstar.’

She described Hallie as ‘the most gentle, loving, funny, caring and beautiful little girl’ with ‘the purest soul’ and an ‘infectious smile’.

The family’s appeal for funds for the CAR T-cell therapy in the US Received the backing of former pro footballer and reality star Ashley Cain, who lost his daughter Azaylia to cancer in 2020.

He wrote at the time: ‘What a beautiful little girl. Sending my love, my strength and prayers your way. Also, my hand in help.’

The CAR T-cell therapy was the same treatment that cured Oscar Saxelby-Lee, the British boy who won the nation’s hearts after his leukaemia battle went viral in 2018.

Kim and Jamie, of Coventry, said they first spotted something was wrong with baby Hallie just hours before their holiday flight to Spain in July last year.

A doctor initially advised them it was just heat making Hallie lethargic but when they landed in Spain her condition worsened so they rushed her to Malaga hospital – within an hour Hallie was diagnosed with cancer.

‘She had bruising too, it’s a common symptom. You put it down to crawling.

‘When they were in Spain she was in intensive care for 10 days, she was really quite unwell. They weren’t able to sort out treatment plans and were trying to get her fit to fly home.

‘She had a private air ambulance to get her home from Spain. They took her straight to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.’

Hallie began intensive treatment when she arrived back in the UK the next week, and underwent chemotherapy, blood transfusions and two stem cell transplants – but both transplants failed.

Hallie’s JMML was a rare cancer which slowly develops in young children and has just a 50% survival rate if caught early.

Family, friends and some of the 40,000 members of the public who donated have taken to social media to share their sadness at her passing.

Aunt Hannah, who initially shared Hallie’s story in an attempt to fund raise, wrote: ‘Auntie H will love you forever, Hallie. Tuesday was the most special day ever. Memories locked in my heart baby girl.’

Others said: ‘I’m so sorry, rest beautifully Hallie,’ and ‘Fly high little Angel, such a warrior, such an inspiration, my thoughts are with you all at this time.’

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