I wish that I could forget arriving at the hospital and seeing Judith crying uncontrollably in the parking lot. I wish I could forget the look of utter devastation and heartbreak in her eyes. I wish I could forget walking into the hospital and seeing Leighton, Lily-Mae’s dad, looking angry and heartbroken at the same time. I wish I could forget seeing my favourite little rockstar, this girl who has blown me away with her fearlessness from day one, lying in the massive hospital bed looking frightened and confused. I wish I had no reason to have any of these memories.

Lily-Mae was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Stage 4. I think I had the same reaction that everybody else did when they heard.” HUH??? What the hell is Neuroblastoma???” Even as I’m typing this, the dictionary does not recognize the word. A quick google search made my blood run cold. Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nervous system. It is aggressive and fights dirty, attacking any part of the body. Stage 4 is even scarier. Lily-Mae had 100% bone marrow cancer, a significant amount of cancer on her little skeleton and a massive tumour wrapped around her tiny kidney. Things were not looking promising.

But Lily-Mae Sunni Morrison is a warrior. She is 4 ½ years old and should not be doing this. NO CHILD should be doing this. But she is and she is doing it with fierce determination and grace. After 10 intense rounds of chemotherapy, the cancer was off her bone marrow and her skeleton. After surgery to remove that massive tumour and SIX more that were found, after having the equivalent of 6 blood transfusions to harvest stem cells, she has won half the battle. She has been stronger than this ugly monster that has been waging war with her. She still has a very long road ahead, one that involves more chemotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell rebuild, isolation and countless tests. And even after all that, she will still have to scale the mountain that is avoiding relapse. The nature of the beast that is Neuroblastoma means that it doesn’t like to be beaten. It comes back for round 2 in 70% of cases. And it comes back meaner and dirtier and uglier.

The HSE covers Lily-Mae’s initial care. This first part of her journey is paid for, at least in hospital costs. But should she relapse, her options in Ireland are very, very limited. Her best option would be to travel to the USA or Germany and to get into a clinical trial. That part is not covered by the HSE. That part would cost between €500,000 and €750,000.

This is where you come in. I know it might sound strange to raise funds for something that might not happen. Obviously no one WANTS to consider the possibility of relapse. Obviously everyone wants to stay positive and hope and pray and wish and to believe that it will never happen. But sometimes you also need to be realistic and pragmatic. And the very sad and infuriating reality of the situation is that Neuroblastoma does come back more often than not, 70% percent of the time to be exact. 70% is a high percentage and one that you cannot ignore and wish away. The Sunni-Mae Trust has raised €150,000 in 6 months. That is a remarkable sum of money, but it is nowhere near the €750,000 that could be needed. Should Lily-Mae, God forbid, relapse, she won’t have time to wait the year or longer that it will take for that money to be raised. Raising ¾ of a million euro is no easy task and takes time. And when the day comes that Lily-Mae is given the all clear, I know her family will have no greater pleasure than handing over a cheque for all those funds that have been raised to The Neuroblastoma Society, an organization that funds research into this grossly underfunded and under researched disease. That is why the fundraising effort has started now, why all the noise is being made now. Not least with Tiny Dancer by A Song for Lily-Mae

I know you have all seen and heard this story in the news, on the radio, in the newspaper, on TV, on Facebook and Twitter. But this is not a story I read about and was touched by. This is more than a story, it is a reality that is so very personal to me. I have stood by feeling utterly helpless and watched this horrific disease devastate a family that I love so dearly. I have watched a mother and father fight alongside and for their daughter in her battle against this monster. A battle she is facing and fighting with strength, courage and determination that no 4 year old should have to possess.

The race to Christmas number 1 starts at midnight tonight, Thursday December 13th. Tiny Dancer’s biggest competition is the publicity fuelled X-Factor single. I want you to buy James Arthurs single, the proceeds of which are going to a great charity too. But I want you to hold off and do it after December 21st. His single will still be on sale after Christmas. And you will still have time to buy it for Christmas after the Christmas number 1 has been announced. The X-Factor does not need another Christmas number 1, Neuroblastoma does. It needs that number 1 spot so that it is no longer a disease that no one has ever heard of. So that it gets more research and funding so that hopefully other families don’t have to go through what Lily-Mae and her family are going through. I know that this time of year is a tough one, but all I’m asking is that from tomorrow everyone storms to iTunes and spends a measly 99c. And if you can manage it, €2 for a CD, which you can get at HMV or through myself or Ivan. I am asking, pleading in fact with you all, to please help this little girl and her family. 50% of the profits from the sale go to The Sunni-Mae Trust and 50% goes directly to The Neuroblastoma Society. So by buying this song, you are already helping other families. Please help make the coveted Christmas Number 1 spot that Tiny Dancer by A Song for Lily-Mae has been dreaming of a reality.