THE end of a gruelling year of treatment is only weeks away for a brave little girl from Selby.

Olivia Howard, from Sherburn-in-Elmet, was rushed to hospital last January with suspected viral meningitis, then underwent two 13-hour operations after doctors realised she was suffering from a brain tumour measuring 8cm by 5cm.

Since the operations, three-year-old Olivia has been a regular visitor to Leeds General Infirmary for chemotherapy to ensure the tumour does not return, and has just completed her penultimate round.

Olivia’s father, Mark, a self-employed tiler, said: “We have two more sessions to go. We have been in for chemo Tuesday and Wednesday this week, then we have the following week off, then the week commencing March 5, we are in Tuesday to Friday for the last one. She’ll then have a full MRI scan, with eye, hearing, liver and kidney tests as well. Hopefully the treatment has done its job.”

The Press previously reported that despite hopes Olivia would be well enough to spend Christmas at home, she had to be taken to the children’s oncology ward after she got a high fever, and then spent Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day in hospital.

Mark said: “It’s been part of Olivia’s life since she was two, and I think she thinks this is the way of life.

“She’s at home for so long, then she gets to go to hospital and see the nurses, who take some ‘strawberry juice’ out and attach her to a machine.

“We are going through mixed emotions now the end is nigh. We’re relieved the chemo is coming to its end, yet we’re apprehensive and nervous that all is okay.”