A mum is hoping to make a mountain of a difference as she takes on a gruelling night-time trek inspired by her daughter, who has been left blind by a brain tumour. 

Olivia Taylor was just 17 months old when she was diagnosed with an optic nerve glioma in January 2018. Olivia’s tumour is inoperable but she did undergo an invasive procedure to drain a cyst before having further treatment. Now aged six, she is on her third round of chemotherapy and having scans of her spine and brain every three months. 

Her mum Lisa said: “Olivia’s amazing, she just gets on with it and never complains. She’s tired all the time from the chemo but still does singing, swimming and everything other children do, as long as it’s adapted.  

“She’s always been a really smiley, happy child, is crazy confident and really caring and resilient.” 

Inspired by her daughter’s brain tumour journey, Lisa is taking on a night-time 1,345-metre ascent of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, tonight (19^th August). She will be joined by her sister, Eleanor Page, and colleagues Julie-Anne Niblock and Lauren Turner. 

The group has already raised more than £3,600 on their JustGiving page. To donate, please click here.  

Lisa added: “Sadly, I’ve known multiple children pass away from brain tumours. That’s the world I’m in now but it’s clear they aren’t rare. People always think it will never happen to them, but it easily could.  

“The money we raise will help fund research into new treatments which are desperately needed because the current ones are old and terrible on young bodies.  

“We need new treatments, more awareness and faster diagnoses. No child should be dying of a brain tumour in this day and age.” 

Related reading: 

• Take on a walking or trekking challenge 
• Optic nerve glioma