The mother of the six-year-old cancer patient who won the Duchess of Cambridge‘s heart after a photo of her in isolation while having treatment for leukaemia went viral has revealed her daughter now has the all clear.
Little Mila Sneddon rang the bell at Team Jack Cancer Centre last week and even got an email wishing her congratulations from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The schoolgirl met Kate Middleton twice last year after the royal spotted the photo of the little girl in lockdown in March 2020; the image saw her gazing at her father Scott, who had been forced to move out of the family home to protect his daughter, through a window.
Speaking via video link from their holiday in Ayrshire on Lorraine today, her mother Lynda Sneddon revealed to host Ranvir Singh: ‘When you get the initial news that your child is unwell, thinking of the end of treatment is such a huge challenge.
Speaking via video link from their holiday in Ayrshire on Lorraine today, her mother Lynda Sneddon revealed to host Ranvir Singh: ‘When you get the initial news that your child is unwell, thinking of the end of treatment is such a huge challenge.
‘You think you’re never going to see the end, so we’re overjoyed and ecstatic that Mila has reached this stage.
Speaking about the bell being rung, she added: ‘The bell being rung signifies the end of treatment, that was Mila’s final chemotherapy. She was on daily chemotherapy tablets and intravenous therapy.
Little Mila has now recovered from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia -a type of cancer that affects white blood cells and requires immediate treatment
Speaking about going back to school the same day as finishing treatment Mila added: ‘I had to go to school but I just wanted a day off.
‘But everyone was clapping me around the whole school when I rang the bell – it was a surprise.
She added that she’s been riding her bike while on holiday and is feeling much better.
Speaking about the now famous picture – which the Duchess of Cambridge featured in her Hold Still exhibition – mum Lynda added: ‘At the time of taking the picture, I wanted to keep it personal, along with the other pictures we’d taken during the first four months of treatment.
The schoolgirl met Kate Middleton twice last year after the royal spotted the photo of the little girl in lockdown in March 2020, pictured at Holyroodhouse in Scotland
The image saw her gazing at her father Scott, who had been forced to move out of the family home to protect his daughter, through a window.
‘But it became quite obvious overnight that it had gathered some attention but it went viral.
‘It hugely helped people understand what people were going through.
Ranvir asked Mila who had sent her an email to congratulate her on getting better, to which she replied: ‘Ant and Dec’.
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Ranvir added: ‘Ant and Dec, that’s amazing! I thought also William and Kate might have done that? The future king and queen, did they also get in touch with you?’
Little Mila confirmed with a quick: ‘Yeah!’
Mila met Kate Middleton twice last year after the royal spotted the photo of the little girl in lockdown in March 2020, first at Holyroodhouse in May and then again during the Duchess’ Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in December.
Friends: The Duchess of Cambridge and the little girl chatted at the community carol service at Westminster Abbey on December 8th
Back in December, Mila attended the Christmas community carol service at Westminster Abbey in London, organised by the Duchess of Cambridge
The Duchess went on to include the photo, known as ‘Shielding Mila’ in her book Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020 and asked if she could meet Mila.
The little girl’s mother said the Duchess had a ‘gentle soul’ and had made Mila feel comfortable during their meetings.
‘Those moments made Mila feel really special and it was a good distraction from her treatment,’ she said.
‘Now she’s recognised as the happy little girl who met Kate Middleton and not the poor little girl with cancer,’ she added.
Mila reading a prayer by the crib, accompanied by her mother Lynda during the royal Christmas concert
Mila pictured reuniting with her father Scott in 2020 after a period of isolation
In May last year, Mila was welcomed by Kate for tea at Holyroodhouse, during her and Prince William’s final day of their week-long visit to Scotland.
‘[Kate] had made a promise [to wear pink],’ the youngster added, noting that the Duchess kept her word to don a pink outfit when meeting after their initial phone call.
After Mila was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in November 2019, aged four, her parents decided the best way to keep their little girl safe was by not taking any risks and self-isolating in different houses.
Lynda, a mother-of-two, stayed with the little girl while dad Scott lived separately, and shared a heartbreaking photo of Mila kissing her dad through the window.
The photo went viral online and was spotted by the Duchess of Cambridge and was later one of the 100 images included in Kate’s book Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020.
At their first meeting at Holyroodhouse, the Duchess told the schoolgirl: ‘Hi Mila, look at you. I want to give you a big squeezy cuddle, it’s so nice to meet you in person.’
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