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Search forThornton Heath toddler loses battle with cancer
Friday, August 15, 2008, 07:00
Three-year-old Serena Souissi suffered from neuroblastoma - a tumour in the adrenal glands - and had spent most of her life in hospital undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
In January this year her family, from Fairlands Avenue, Thornton Heath, were told Serena was in remission.
But tragically the disease came back in April and the toddler has now lost her brave battle.
Serena passed away while her uncle Nigel Dudek, 27, was cradling her.
Her grieving mother Lorraine Dudek, 22, says she is numb from her daughter's death.
"She was sitting on my brother's lap and she stopped breathing," she said.
"We'd been told there was no point resuscitating her. We're all devastated, my family are very sad."
Lorraine has been trying to cope by looking at all the photos she has of her beloved daughter.
She said: "I've been crying my eyes out.
"It's been a very tough time, I'm still trying to get used to her not being around."
Lorraine who has two sons Kieran Souissi, 2, and Jermaine Cools, 1, said her daughter had been in agony with the illness before she died on July 5.
Speaking about her death for the first time, Lorraine said: "Serena had been very weak and frail, and was on oxygen support.
"She was in a lot of pain, and had been on morphine.
"The tumour was pushing down on her pelvis and she'd lost the use of her legs."
Serena's funeral was held on July 18 at Croydon Crematorium, and Lorraine tried to make it as "girly" as possible.
She said: "I dressed her in a big pink bridesmaid's dress with silver shoes, and we released 200 pink balloons, because she loved them.
"She was a very girly girl, even when she lost her hair she still wanted hair clips on her head.
"We played High School Musical songs, because she loved that film.
"I chose a little pink coffin for her, it was very emotional, we had family, doctors and friends come to say goodbye."
Serena's family had been pleading with the public to help them raise £125,000 for groundbreaking treatment in America.
But sadly the family were only able to raise around £2,000 by the time Serena died.
They now plan to spend the money that was donated on raising awareness of the disease.
LITTLE BATTLER: Serena Souissi
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