Evelyn Grace Jackson, just four years old, has left this world after an extraordinary three-year battle with high-risk Neuroblastoma. Though her time with us was heartbreakingly brief, her journey was nothing short of remarkable—a testament to courage, resilience, and the boundless capacity of a young heart to inspire everyone around it.
Evelyn’s battle began at only eighteen months old, when her diagnosis transformed the lives of her family and everyone who would come to know her. The road ahead was daunting. Chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, radiation, and immunotherapy became the rhythm of her days. Every procedure carried immense physical challenges, every treatment held the weight of uncertainty. Yet, through it all, Evelyn faced each moment with bravery and grace that defied her age.
Her little body endured complications that would have overwhelmed even the strongest adults. Infections, life-threatening reactions, and repeated hospitalizations were daily realities, but Evelyn’s spirit remained unbroken. She became more than a patient; she was a beacon of hope, a source of light for the doctors and nurses who tended to her, and a source of love and inspiration for her family and friends.
Even in the darkest days, Evelyn’s personality shone through. She was funny, warm, and endlessly loving. Her laughter had the power to lift the heaviest hearts, and her smiles became small victories in a battle defined by medical challenges. Through every setback, relapse, and frightening procedure, she taught those around her what true courage looks like—not the absence of fear, but the determination to face fear head-on with trust, grace, and an unwavering spirit.
Every milestone in Evelyn’s journey was a triumph. From her tumor resection to finishing TPN, from beginning speech therapy to attending preschool, each step was hard-earned. Each accomplishment, however small it may have seemed to the world, carried immense significance—a reminder that even the most fragile bodies can harbor extraordinary resilience. Evelyn’s achievements were not just medical victories; they were celebrations of life, determination, and the sheer strength of a child who refused to give up.
Her courage extended beyond her own needs. Evelyn had a way of bringing hope and joy to everyone she encountered. Nurses spoke of her smiles and laughter brightening long, exhausting shifts. Families found inspiration in her bravery, learning that even in the shadow of serious illness, it is possible to hold onto love, joy, and hope. Evelyn’s presence was a gift—a living example of how even the youngest hearts can profoundly impact the world around them.
Though her battle ended too soon, Evelyn’s legacy is enduring. She leaves behind lessons of resilience, kindness, and courage that will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her. Her life, though brief, was full of meaning. She proved that heroism does not always come with grandeur or accolades—it comes in the quiet, steadfast bravery of a child facing unimaginable challenges.
In every procedure she faced, every hospital stay she endured, and every treatment she braved, Evelyn showed that love and courage are intertwined. She faced her illness with trust in those who cared for her, with faith in the love of her family, and with a spirit that refused to be diminished by circumstance. Her determination, laughter, and light leave an imprint that will never fade.
Evelyn’s story reminds us all that life’s most profound lessons often come from the smallest, most vulnerable among us. Courage can be found in tiny hands that hold onto hope despite overwhelming odds. Strength can be measured in giggles, in a smile during pain, in the ability to inspire love in the hearts of those who witness a child’s unwavering spirit. Evelyn’s bravery and her ability to give joy in the midst of suffering will remain with us forever.
Though her time on this earth was far too short, Evelyn Grace Jackson leaves behind a legacy larger than life itself. Her courage, her laughter, her compassion, and her unbreakable spirit are gifts that will endure in the hearts of her family, friends, and all who witnessed her journey. She taught everyone around her about hope in the face of adversity, about the power of love and faith, and about the extraordinary resilience of a little heart determined to live fully, no matter the circumstances.
Rest peacefully, sweet Evelyn. Your time here was brief, but your impact is eternal. Forever four. Forever our hero.
Iolo’s Brave Little Heart: A Mother’s Story of Shock, Surgery, and the Joy of Watching Her Son Thrive
When baby Iolo was just four weeks old, his parents believed they were attending nothing more than a routine check-up — the kind of everyday appointment new parents rarely think twice about. But in a matter of minutes, their world was rearranged. A GP leaned in, listened carefully, and detected a
loud heart murmur. What should have been an ordinary day became the beginning of a journey they never saw coming. They were quickly referred to paediatrics, and by the end of that afternoon, their lives had changed forever.
Tests confirmed what no parent is ever prepared to hear:
Iolo had Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) — a serious form of congenital heart disease involving four structural abnormalities in the heart. CHD is often detected during a 20-week pregnancy scan, which gives families time to absorb the diagnosis and prepare for treatment. But that was not the case for Jade and her partner.
“We later learned that Iolo’s VSD was actually visible on the scan,” Jade recalls. “But no referral was made for further checks.”
That single missed step still weighs heavily on her heart. Knowing earlier wouldn’t have changed Iolo’s condition, but it could have changed their emotional journey — giving them time to process, plan, and brace themselves for the uncertain road ahead.
Instead, they stepped into that road in shock, overwhelmed by terms they’d never heard before, specialists they’d never imagined meeting, and decisions parents should never have to make. “We were devastated,” Jade says. “I wish we had known about Tiny Tickers during that time. The support would have been incredibly beneficial when we were going through the worst days of our lives.”
The months that followed were filled with anxieties that no new parent should ever experience — monitoring oxygen levels, watching for signs of distress, attending appointments that carried the weight of fear. Every day became an exercise in balancing love with worry, hope with uncertainty.
Then came July 2025.
At six and a half months old, baby Iolo underwent his full surgical repair — the moment everything had been building toward. The hours of surgery felt like years. Jade remembers the pacing, the tears, the constant checking of the clock. Even prepared, no parent feels ready to hand over their child for open-heart surgery.
But when the call finally came, it carried the words they had prayed for:
The surgery was successful.
Relief washed over them in a way Jade still struggles to describe. Iolo had made it through.
Yet the journey was far from over. Because of the nature of his heart condition, little Iolo now lives without a pulmonary valve, something that will require another surgery later in childhood. It’s a reality Jade has had to accept — that CHD is not a one-time battle but a lifelong relationship with hospitals, specialists, and monitoring. Still, the fear she felt early on has transformed into a quiet, resolute strength.
And Iolo?
He is thriving.
He has surprised every doctor and warmed every heart. He is meeting his milestones with determination, flashing smiles that light up the room, and radiating a calm, joyful presence that Jade describes as “the happiest, most content little boy.” Every day, he shows just how resilient a baby’s spirit can be.
His recovery has been nothing short of remarkable — from fragile beginnings to a strong, smiling child who loves exploring, playing, and simply being alive. Jade often watches him in awe, thinking about how far he has come and how close they once came to losing him before they even fully understood what was wrong.
Today, Jade and her family are filled with gratitude — for the surgeons who held their son’s tiny heart in their hands, for the nurses who cared for him with tenderness, for the strength that carried them through fear, and most of all, for Iolo himself, whose courage continues to inspire them.
“We are so proud of him every single day,” Jade says. “We are just so grateful to be where we are.”
Iolo’s story is one of shock and heartache, but also of healing, hope, and the joy of watching a child defy the odds with grace. His journey reminds us of the power of early detection, the importance of support, and the incredible resilience found in even the smallest hearts.
