Latest news with #VictoriaMorrison
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE We were trolled when our boy died of cancer and again now our daughter is dying... all we want is to make her last months bearable using £100k raised for our son but charity won't let us
Two grieving parents, who were heartlessly trolled online as their 'loving' nine-year-old boy died of an incurable brain tumour, have been at the receiving end of abuse once again as their little girl faces her final months. Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison's 'world broke down' when their 'happy', 'very smart' and 'loving' boy Ryan was diagnosed with brain cancer, which eventually left him unable to eat, walk straight or even smile. Before the young boy's death in 2020, a group of family and friends came together under the name Kyle's Army, in a bid to raise thousands so he could participate in a medical trial in New York for his condition. But after being taken aback by the generosity of the community as well as strangers, who raised around £100,000, the grieving parents were delivered another devastating blow; COVID-19 restrictions preventing their travel to the US. In 2020, brave Kyle passed away after a year of fighting the rare brain tumour, but two years later, the family were delivered good news - Victoria, 36, was pregnant with the couple's first baby girl, Ruby-Rose. But their baby bliss was short-lived as the beginning of Ruby's life was plagued with medical issues, from being born at 36 weeks to NICU stays until she was diagnosed with a life-limiting disease, known as Megdel Syndrome. And now, they hope a High Court judge will allow for funds raised for Kyle, currently held by childhood cancer charity Gold Geese, to be used for Ruby to give her the best quality of life in the months she has left. Amid their turmoil the heartbroken parents have revealed they have been subject to online abuse following confusion as to why they were requesting Kyle's donation pot, which they maintain is to help for their daughter's care. Craig, 39, told MailOnline: 'I don't think the general public understanding how disheartening, and financially draining having a terminally ill child is. We are still recovering from Kyle all these years later. 'If he needed or wanted anything he got it, because we knew the end result but regardless, we wanted the little life he had left to be the best.' Victoria added: 'He did say, "What have I done to deserve this fantastic life", without knowing [about his condition], bless him. 'Kyle's money is his legacy, as well as doing things with Ruby and our other son that we couldn't do with Kyle because of COVID. She added: 'It was absolutely heartbreaking because I couldn't even take Kyle to the local park just to do something together. It was the most horrible year of our lives.' However, this isn't the first time the couple have been abused online as trolls heartlessly sent vile messages while Kyle was dying from cancer, with one cruel user messaging Victoria how they couldn't 'wait to smoke on his ashes'. Craig also shared that a stranger messaged his partner demanding to tell Kyle about his condition, despite medical staff respecting the parents' decision to keep the information from him so he wouldn't be scared. 'The abuse we received, and the things said about him and Vicky was horrible, it was disgusting,' he said. 'As a family we decided that the cancer word wasn't going to be mentioned to him, because kids aren't silly they know how to use Google, and he was a very smart child.' The engineer added: 'I will give the hospital their due, they respected our decision.' The parents are now waiting for an outcome over Kyle's donations, as both they and Gold Geese, a charity holding the funds raised by Kyle's Army, have decided to let a High Court judge decide if the money is to be released to the parents. A contract the couple signed stated if the money was not spent on their son's treatment before he died, it would go to another DIPG trial or the cause of a child in a 'similar' position, the London High Court court previously heard. However, the couple representing themselves legally while juggling the care of their daughter who is at the end of her life, argued Ruby's condition is 'similar' as the disease impacts her nervous system similarly to her late brother. In 2019 Kyle was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare brain cancer which impacts the brain stem, thus affecting the nervous system as well as other vital functions such as breathing, muscles, hearing, walking, talking and more. Currently, two-year-old Ruby suffers from a a rare genetic metabolic condition characterised by high levels of acid in the body, known as Megdel Syndrome, which also impacts the body's nervous system. It is usually fatal in early infanthood. 'Its like your heart only has so many beats. Hers is already a ticking time bomb,' Craig explained. '[It impacts] her liver, her kidneys, she's also deaf. She struggles with basic mobility functions already. Victoria Morrison is seen here with her son Kyle who tragically died aged nine in 2020 'She can't sit up unaided herself. She can't eat normally, she can't maintain body weight. She struggled to get over the 8kg point, she should be a lot heavier.' 'There is no definitive answer as to what is going to happen. We were told if she lives past her third birthday, which is a month today, she's done well.' He added: 'I have a saying of its bad enough its happened once with Kyle, but going through it a second time is absolutely dreadful' 'Parents shouldn't bury their children, your kids should bury you in a sense. Its very hard.' Craig and Victoria explained the £100,000 would go towards helping them pay for Ruby's specialist equipment, clothing, food and physiotherapy. The family have also set up a GoFundMe page - under the name 'Ruby-Rose's Making Memories Fund', so they can create memories in her final months. 'I don't want [Ruby] to struggle,' Victoria said. Currently the couple have to spend thousands on Ruby's care, which coupled with travel bills and incoming medical equipment, is set to send their monthly bills soaring. Among the essential items the young tot requires to help support her posture is a P-pod, which costs around £1,300 and has to be moulded to her growing body. While some of this cost is covered by the NHS, the parents will have to cover seat replacements at £300 to £400 a go, likely at a weekly basis due to her sickness. 'As soon as something is labelled a disability item the price just goes through the roof,' Craig said. 'We do get help from the NHS, which we are grateful for, but it only stretches so far.' 'I physically can't afford to not work, it's a struggle especially if Ruby is ill because we have our other son at home as well.' They have also argued Ruby is 'suffering' from not having physiotherapy appointments. However going private would mean seeking a specialist medical practitioner who could meet her needs, which the grieving couple believe would 'cost a fortune'. 'It will help improve her life and what is left of it,' Craig said of Kyle's £100,000 donation pot. 'Ruby is different in a lot of ways but in principal she is the same, and that's a bitter pill to swallow as a parent. Not once but twice.'
Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Times
Charity won't give parents of dying girl, 2, £100k in donations
A couple whose nine-year-old son died of cancer and whose daughter is terminally ill claim that a charity refused to hand over £100,000 of donations. Kyle Morrison was diagnosed in 2019 with an incurable brain cancer. Before his death, supporters donated thousands to pay for potential treatment in the US and 'memory making' experiences for the family. However, the Covid pandemic meant that the family could not travel before the boy died a year later. His parents, Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison, went on to have a daughter, Ruby-Rose, now two, but she too is seriously ill with a genetic metabolic disease and is said to be unlikely to live beyond this summer. The couple launched a GoFundMe page — under the name 'Ruby-Rose's Making Memories Fund' — in an attempt to take her to Disney World. But when they tried to claim almost £100,000 left from the money donated for their deceased son, the parents were told it would not be paid because Ruby-Rose was not suffering from cancer. The parents have now launched a High Court claim against Gold Geese, the charity that holds the money, claiming it should fund their daughter's trip to see her beloved Minnie Mouse. However, officials at the charity have told the court that the money cannot be paid out because the donations were made for Kyle when he was a cancer patient. They argue that the funds can be spent only on medical trials or another child in a 'similar' situation to the couple's son. The judge, Marc Glover, was told that Kyle was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a rare form of cancer, when he was eight. A significant amount was raised through Golden Geese, which is based in Essex, and Kyle was scheduled to travel to the US for treatment in late 2020. By the time that pandemic restrictions were eased, the boy was too ill and he died in October of that year. The parents, who also have another son, went on to have their daughter, Ruby-Rose, in 2022, but she was diagnosed with Megdel syndrome, a genetic metabolic condition characterised by high levels of acid in the body, which is usually fatal in early infanthood. Representing themselves in court, the couple have told the judge that their daughter was unlikely to live beyond this summer. They said that the money raised for Kyle should now go to their daughter. Morrison told the court: 'We just want the money to make as many memories as we can.' But William Moffett, a barrister representing the charity, responded that the fund raised for their son could be used only for children with cancer, not other diseases. The lawyer referred to a contract agreed by the parents stating that if the money were not spent on their son's treatment before he died, it would go to a trial or the cause of a child in a 'similar' position. Moffett said that it would have been impossible for donors to the son's cause to have meant for the money to benefit Ruby-Rose, as she had not been born at the time that it was pledged. The barrister reminded the court that 'Gold Geese is a cancer charity, it's on its logo', before adding: 'There are other charities whose objects would include assisting someone with Ruby-Rose's condition, but it wouldn't be proper for Gold Geese to stray outside the illness of child cancer.' The charity's position is that it was behaving as it was 'legally obliged to do within the ambit of their purpose'. However, the couple insisted that the contract allows money to be spent for Ruby-Rose's benefit, as they maintained that their daughter fell into the definition of a 'similar' case, as stated in the agreement. The judge will rule at a later date.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Cancer charity sued over £100k that parents want to use for ill daughter
A charity is being sued over £100,000 raised by the parents of a cancer-stricken nine-year-old boy who want to spend the money on their terminally ill daughter, a court has heard. Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison's son, Kyle Morrison, died in 2020 after being diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer. Before his death, well-wishers had donated thousands to pay for treatment in the US and 'memory-making' experiences for the family, but the Covid-19 pandemic meant Kyle was unable to travel. The couple went on to have daughter Ruby-Rose, now two, but she is seriously ill with a genetic metabolic disease and is unlikely to live beyond summer 2025. They began a GoFundMe page, separate to Kyle's fundraiser which is now the subject of the legal claim, in an attempt to take her to Disney World in Florida to meet Minnie Mouse. But the couple say that when they tried to claim the almost £100,000 left from the money donated for Kyle, they were told it could not be paid because Ruby-Rose does not have cancer. The parents, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, are now suing Gold Geese, the charity which holds the money, at the High Court, saying the money should be spent to benefit Ruby-Rose. However, the charity says the donations were made for Kyle when he was a cancer patient and can now only be spent on trials or another child in a 'similar' situation to him. Kyle was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in 2019 when he was eight, the court heard. Attempts to raise money for his treatment began with a Facebook campaign through the group One Pound Warriors, which encourages donors to give small but regular sums to charitable causes. However, the group then passed on Kyle's cause to Essex-based Gold Geese, a charity which benefits children with cancer. The money flooded in and Kyle was due to go to the US for treatment in late 2020, but by the time Covid travel restrictions were eased he was too ill. He died in October 2020. Used for children with cancer The couple, who also have another son, then went on to have daughter Ruby-Rose in 2022, but she was diagnosed with Megdel syndrome, an inherited disorder that affects multiple body systems and which is usually fatal in early infanthood. Ms Morrison, Kyle's mother, told Judge Marc Glover that they believed the money raised for Kyle should now go to their daughter. But William Moffett, the barrister acting for the charity, said the money can only be used for children with cancer and not other diseases. He added that the contract which the couple had agreed stated that if the money was not spent on their son's treatment before he died, it would go to another DIPG trial or the cause of a child in a 'similar' position. There was no way donors could have meant for the money to benefit Ruby-Rose, as she was not even born at the time that it was pledged, he said. A judgment will be delivered at a later date.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Parents who raised £100k for tragic son sue charity after refusing to give them cash for terminal daughter's Disney trip
A MUM and dad who raised £100,000 for their tragic son are suing the charity for withholding the money as they want to use it for their terminally ill daughter. Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison's nine-year-old son Kyle tragically passed away in 2020 from incurable brain cancer. 3 3 Before his death, well-wishers had donated thousands to pay for treatment in the US and "memory-making" experiences for the family. But due to Covid lockdown restrictions, Kyle's parents were never able to take him travelling before his death. Craig and Victoria instead hoped to use the money for his two-year-old sister Ruby-Rose, who has been diagnosed with genetic metabolic disease and may not live past the summer. They created a Go Fund Me page - under the name "Ruby-Rose's Making Memories Fund" - saying they want to "take our kids travelling across the globe and see and do as many amazing things". This includes taking Ruby-Rose to Disney in Florida to meet her beloved Minnie Mouse. But when they tried to claim almost £100,000 left from the appeal money for Kyle, charity Gold Geese said they could not access the cash because Ruby-Rose has a different disease. Craig and Victoria are now suing the charity at the High Court in London - saying it should be handed over to benefit their daughter. But the organisation says it cannot pay out because the donations were made for Kyle when he was a cancer patient and can now only be spent on trials for another child in a "similar" situation to him. The court was told Kyle was diagnosed with a rare cancer - diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DPIG) - in 2019 when aged eight. Attempts to raise money for his treatment and make the most of his time left originally started with a Facebook group before Gold Geese took over the campaign. The money flooded in and and Kyle was due to go to the US for treatment in late 2020, but Covid prevented his travel and by the time restrictions were eased, he was too ill. Tragically, the brave youngster died in October that year. Craig and Victoria went on to have Ruby-Rose in 2022 but were heartbroken to discover she had a condition known as Megdel syndrome. The disease is characterised by high levels of acid in the body, which is usually fatal in early childhood. Representing themselves, the couple told the judge their daughter is unlikely to live beyond this summer but is continuing to fight her illness. They said: "We just want the money to make as many memories as we can." But barrister William Moffett, representing the charity, said the money could only be used for the purposes it was donated - children with cancer, and not other diseases He said the couple agreed to a contract that stated that if the money was not spent on Kyle's treatment, it would go to another DIPG trial or the cause of a child in a "similar" position. The lawyer also argued there was no way donors intended the money for Ruby-Rose as she was not born at the time. He continued: "Gold Geese is a cancer charity, it's on its logo. "There are other charities whose objects would include assisting someone with Ruby-Rose's condition, but it wouldn't be proper for Gold Geese to stray outside the illness of child cancer. "The charity is trying to do what they're legally obliged to do within the ambit of their purpose. "If the court were to tell us otherwise, they would have authority, but we don't think it's the right answer here. "It's just an unfortunate fact that Mr Evison and Mrs Morrison have a child who is ill with a different illness." But the couple insisted the contract allows money to be spent for Ruby-Rose's benefit, since they believe she falls into the definition of a "similar" case. They also told the court they have continued to highlight childhood cancer and if any of the donors specifically stated they wanted their money to go on research, the couple would not object. Craig said: "We couldn't predict what was going to happen, we are humans. Kyle sadly passed. His sister Ruby-Rose is in an extremely rare and a very similar situation. "If she makes it another [month], she has outlived the hospital's expectancy. We are just trying to have that chance to make these memories while there's still time and we physically can." Deputy Master Marc Glover described the couple as a "courageous family" who had suffered devastatingly bad luck. He will deliver his judgment at a later date.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Parents who raised £100K for their son before he died from cancer sue charity which refuses to hand over donations - because they want the cash to take his terminally-ill sister to Disney World
Tragic parents who lost their son aged nine to cancer before learning his younger sister is also terminally ill are now suing a charity over donations worth £100,000. Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison, whose son Kyle died in 2020 from an incurable brain cancer, want to take his sister Ruby-Rose to Disney World - but have been told they cannot access previous cash pledges because she has a different disease. Before Kyle's death, wellwishers had donated thousands to pay for treatment in the US and 'memory making' experiences for the family - but Covid-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions intervened and he never travelled. The couple went on to have a daughter Ruby-Rose, now two, but were devastated to learn that she too was seriously ill with a genetic metabolic disease and was unlikely to live beyond this summer. They began a GoFundMe page - under the name 'Ruby-Rose's Making Memories Fund' - in an attempt to take her to Disney in Florida to meet her favourite character Minnie Mouse. But when they tried to claim almost £100,000 left from appeal money earlier donated for Kyle, they were told it would not be paid, London 's High Court was told. The reason given was said to be Ruby-Rose not having cancer but instead a different albeit equally devastating condition. The parents, from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, are now battling the charity Gold Geese that holds the money, saying it should be handed over to benefit their daughter. But the organisation says it cannot pay out because the donations were made for Kyle when he was a cancer patient and can now only be spent on trials or another child in a 'similar' situation to him. In a day-long trial, judge Deputy Master Marc Glover was told how Kyle was diagnosed with a rare cancer - diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DPIG) - in 2019 when aged eight. Attempts to raise money for his treatment and to help him make the most of his days began with a Facebook campaign through the group One Pound Warriors, which encourages donors to give small but regular sums to charitable causes. However, the group then passed on Kyle's cause to Essex-based Gold Geese, a charity which works for the benefit of cancer-stricken children. The money flooded in and Kyle was due to go to the US for treatment in late 2020, but Covid prevented his travel and by the time restrictions were eased, he was too ill and he then died in October that year. The grieving couple, who also have another son, then went on to have their daughter Ruby-Rose in 2022, but she too was diagnosed with Megdel syndrome. That is a genetic metabolic condition characterised by high levels of acid in the body and which is usually fatal in early infanthood. Representing themselves, the couple told the judge that Ruby-Rose was unlikely to live beyond this summer but is continuing to fight her illness. Telling Deputy Master Glover that they believe the money raised for Kyle should now go to their daughter, Mrs Morrison said: 'We just want the money to make as many memories as we can.' However, the charity's barrister William Moffett said the money could only be used for the purposes for which it was donated by the wellwishers - that is, children with cancer rather than other diseases. He also told of a contract the couple agreed stating that, if the money was not spent on their son's treatment before he died, it would go to another DIPG trial or the cause of a child in a 'similar' position. Mr Moffett said there was no way donors could have meant for the money to benefit Ruby-Rose, because she had not been born at the time the donations were pledged. He told the court: 'Her illness and the desire to assist this family couldn't have informed the donors when they were giving in 2020. 'Gold Geese is a cancer charity - it's on its logo. 'There are other charities whose objects would include assisting someone with Ruby-Rose's condition, but it wouldn't be proper for Gold Geese to stray outside the illness of child cancer. 'The charity is trying to do what they're legally obliged to do within the ambit of their purpose. 'If the court were to tell us otherwise, they would have authority, but we don't think it's the right answer here. 'It's just an unfortunate fact that Mr Evison and Mrs Morrison have a child who is ill with a different illness.' However, the couple insisted the contract should permit money to be spent for Ruby-Rose's benefit, since they believe she falls into the definition of a 'similar' case. And they said that, although they had agreed the contract, the situation changed when their daughter was also diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. Mr Evison said: 'This is a mother and a father with a broken heart. We are five years down the line now. Things have totally changed. The world has changed in a harsh way. 'We couldn't predict what was going to happen - we are humans. Kyle sadly passed. His sister Ruby-Rose is in an extremely rare and a very similar situation. 'If she makes it another [month], she has outlived the hospital's expectancy. We are just trying to have that chance to make these memories while there's still time and we physically can.' He also said that he continues to promote the cause of childhood cancer and that, if any of the donors had specifically stated they wanted their money to go on research, the couple would not object. During a day of argument in a hearing conducted via a video link, the judge described Mr Evison and Mrs Morrison as a 'courageous family' who had suffered devastatingly bad luck. He added: 'Part of the court's function is to ascertain the intention of the donors. The numbers are large. There are at least 1,300 different payers. 'Was it an intention that it should go to a charity for people other than your son Kyle or was it that it should go to Kyle so that on his passing it would go to you to use as you like, including in relation to Ruby?' Judgment on whether the money can be spent on Ruby-Rose will be delivered at a later date.
