Sisters from Hoyland give special thanks on World Cancer Day

A talented young artist from Hoyland who was diagnosed with cancer at just 11 months old is an art star after submitting a painting as part of an exclusive art exhibition to mark World Cancer Day.
Eight-year-old Lily Atkinson, from Hoyland, Barnsley (left), with her sister GraceEight-year-old Lily Atkinson, from Hoyland, Barnsley (left), with her sister Grace
Eight-year-old Lily Atkinson, from Hoyland, Barnsley (left), with her sister Grace

Eight-year-old Lily Atkinson, had an operation shortly after diagnosis to remove a peach stone sized tumour, followed by high dose chemotherapy. Thankfully, she was given the all-clear and is now doing well.

But she never forgot the care she received and so submitted a painting of her consultant from the time she was poorly – Lily has titled the piece “The Saviour of My Life”. Her sister Grace has also submitted a story to the show, all about Lily’s consultant and how he saved her life.

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The painting was displayed at the CLIC Sargent Art and Music Exhibition, held at Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery on January 24, ahead of World Cancer Day on Monday, February 4.

Lily was diagnosed with the rare cancer neuroblastoma when she was just 11 months old in 2011.

Her mum Angela first spotted a problem when Lily had conjunctivitis at six months old, and when she looked as though she had one eye smaller than the other, Angela began searching for answers online.

After coming across Horner’s syndrome, and then reading the word ‘cancer’, Angela decided that she had to get Lily checked out. While scans were unable to reveal what could be wrong, abnormalities were shown in Lily’s urine and Angela was told the devastating news that Lily had cancer.

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Angela said: “When I was told that Lily had cancer it was just like the world had ended. I couldn’t get my head around it or think past what I’d just been told.” Dr Dan Yeomanson is a Consultant Oncologist at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Grace’s story tells of how he saved Lily’s life. She writes: ‘It was a miracle that the tumour didn’t spread to the heart and it’s amazing that Dr Dan was able to save her… If it hadn’t been for Dr Dan, then the little baby would of not survived cancer.”