Agonising wait for Abigail (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Agonising wait for Abigail

Ref. 25442-42TEENAGE cancer sufferer Abigail Taylor-Silk has an anxious wait to see if she has finally beaten the disease.

Abigail, 13, of St Andrew's Close, Wroughton, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma a rare form of cancer in April 2002.

Now her family and friends are awaiting the results of tests, which could bring to an end almost two years of torment.

In spite of gruelling chemo-therapy sessions and countless scans, she has never allowed her spirits to drop.

Her plight has touched the hearts of hundreds in the village, who quickly formed the charity Smile.

More than £6,000 has been raised through various fund-raising events including a sponsored walk around Barbury Castle to send Abigail and her family to Florida, where she will fulfil her life-long dream of swimming with dolphins.

The trip now hinges on the outcome of what her family hope will be the last operation, which took place at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Wednesday.

It followed a scan in December, which showed nodes in one of her lungs.

As yet, doctors are not sure if they are cancerous and are running tests, the results of which are due this week.

Her mum Denise, 38, is determined to stay positive.

She said: "It could be nothing at all but it had to be checked out. If the doctors give the all-clear that could be the end of it.

"All she will need then, is the occasional check-up, which all cancer sufferers have to have.

"Abigail is now resting after the operation. She's a bit tired but other than that she's fine."

If all goes well the family could be off to the sun-soaked beaches in mid-March.

Mrs Taylor-Silk said the break would give the family a chance to forget about past worries and look to the future.

"The past two years have been a nightmare. Every time you think you're winning the battle, something happens to put you back to the beginning.

"But you have to get up each morning and keep going. There is no point in being negative."

Mrs Taylor-Silk admitted that the amount of support from people in Wroughton had taken her by surprise.

She said: "The support has been absolutely brilliant and we would never have predicted the response we have had.

"Abigail has been totally overwhelmed by it all as we all have.

"She can't wait to go to Florida and swim with the dolphins."

Gina Stratford, who helped to set up Smile said: "Abigail and her family have been through hell we just wanted to help them. Everyone in the village has been fantastic."