OLIVIA Howard is just two years old and has undergone two 13-hour operations to remove a tumour from her brain.

The toddler was rushed to hospital in January with suspected viral meningitis, but doctors realised she was suffering from a tumour measuring 8cms by 5cms.

Olivia is now 12 weeks into an intensive year-long course of chemotherapy to prevent the cancerous tumour growing back, and shows no signs of problems from the tumour or the surgery.

Now her parents, Mark Howard and Sue Lawn, are determined to raise the profile of the Yorkshire-based charities which helped them through their daughter’s illness, by organising a charity event later this year.

Mark, 32, and Sue, 45, of Sherburn-in-Elmet, suffered every parent’s worst nightmare when their daughter was repeatedly ill last year.

Mark, a self-employed tiler, said: “She was poorly for two or three weeks in October, being sick and off her food, and she would put her hand to her head and say ‘head hurt’.”

“We had her backwards and forwards to the doctor in South Milford, and we were worried she might have meningitis, but we were told she probably just had a virus.”

Olivia’s health improved, but in January, Mark noticed a change in her behaviour.

“She was on the sofa and wouldn’t settle. She just stared at me, propped up on some cushions and went really vacant and started grinding her teeth really loudly.

“I thought she was going to break her teeth. I asked if she was okay, and she started groaning and her hands came up to her chin and she started posturing, like a really slow fit.”

Mark phoned 999 and Olivia was taken to Pontefract General Hospital with suspected viral meningitis. She was quickly transferred to Leeds General Infirmary, after doctors determined she had a brain tumour.

Mark said: “Nothing, no words, preparation, or life experience can make sense, reason, or prepare you for hearing those words. It was utterly devastating news to hear, about the one thing in life you would without doubt give your own up for.”

The tumour, which was located on the right side of Olivia’s brain, was removed in two, 13-hour operations by neurosurgeon Atul Tuyaghi.

Mark said: “The tumour was quite vascular, and Olivia lost about two thirds of her blood during the first operation, which had to be stopped.

“Three days later, they slowed the bleeding enough to get the rest of it.”

Amazingly, to date, Olivia suffers no mental, physical or neurological problems from the condition.”

Mark said: “The research I’ve done showed there’s a lack of knowledge out there among parents about the possibility of this kind of illness.

“We’ll be holding a golf day at Scalm Park Golf Club on September 24 to raise money and awareness for Yorkshire charities Andrea’s Gift and Candlelighters, both of which offer support to families of children with tumours or cancer.”

Mark already has a signed Castleford Tigers shirt and Homebase goods to auction at the event, and asked anyone who could donate prizes or time to the event to contact him on markhoward007@talktalk.net