Miracle West Sussex woman has two daughters after serious illnesses

Milly Hadden, 21, has also endured two liver transplants, a pulmonary haemorrhage and a tracheotomy as a child.

The young woman, from Storrington, even spent three months in an induced coma and suffered a stroke and four mini strokes.

Mum Linsey, Milly, sister Madeleine with baby Otillie, left, and Tallulah (Image: Milly Hadden)

At different stages of her treatment, her family were told to prepare for the worst.

Even when she rallied, they were warned she would never walk or talk or have children.

But now Milly is very much alive and enjoying every moment of her two little girls. Tallulah is two in May and baby Otillie is ten months.

Milly’s health deteriorated when she was just two years old and her family was told she had hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer.

She was treated with chemotherapy – Cancer Research UK funded the Siopel 4 trial she was on – and eventually she was given a transplant.

But after eight years her body rejected the organ. She was put into an induced coma for nearly three months and given an adult liver.

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“I had to ‘grow into’ the liver, which I did, but during this time, I developed sepsis and went into multiple organ failure,” said Milly.

“I was put on a dialysis machine but my parents were told four times they needed to start planning my funeral.”

Milly's scar from surgery (Image: Milly Hadden)

However, Milly kept fighting and doctors decided to put her on an extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine which can deliver oxygen into a child’s body.  

After recovering from this, Milly was allowed home. However, as soon as she got home, she suffered a stroke.

Milly said: “Mum was doing two-hourly checks through the night on my sister Betsy, because she is diabetic. She checked on me at the same time and found me unconscious.”

So began two long years of treatment. From the age of 11 to 13, Milly did not leave hospital.

She had to learn to walk, talk, eat and drink again. But eventually she was able to walk out of the hospital.

The treatment Milly had as a child damaged her hip and knee and she needs joint replacements.

After the three mini strokes, she had seizures for six years but they are under control.

Now she is getting on with the business of being a busy mum.

She said: “I was told I’d never have children, so the girls feel like a miracle. I live by myself and have help from my family and my neighbours are brilliant. I think I have done pretty well for myself.”

Milly was in and out of hospital for much of her early life (Image: Milly Hadden)

Now, Milly is thanking Cancer Research UK for the treatment and supporting its Race For Life.

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Her three sisters – Madeleine, 18, Emily, 17, and Betsy, 15 – and mother Linsey Mangion will be taking part in the Brighton Pretty Muddy event on June 29 at Stanmer Park.

Milly is awaiting an operation on her hip and knee so is unable to take part herself, but her sisters and mum will be flying the flag for the family.

The young mum and her two girls will start the event by sounding the horn to set the participants off.

She said: “People said it could never happen but I have two miracle daughters and I’m living a happy, healthy life. I’d love to be able to be part of Race For Life but until I have get my knees and hips sorted, I can’t. But my sisters and my mum are going to do it for me and I’ll be there on the day to start the Pretty Muddy event and watch my sisters get covered in mud.”

People of all ages and abilities are welcome to take part in Race For Life in Brighton and at other Cancer Research UK events around Sussex, including Worthing, Horsham, Crawley, Eastbourne and Hastings.

Lynn Daly, Cancer Research UK’s Sussex spokeswoman, said: “We’re really grateful to Milly for her support and know her story will make an impact on people who hear it.  

“No matter how cancer affects us, life is worth racing for. Sadly nearly one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. Race For Life has the power not only to transform lives, but to save them. We’re proud that Race for Life has already helped double survival rates in the UK.   

“We’d love for people from all over Sussex to join us at Race For Life. There is an event for everyone and we mean everyone - walk, jog, run or take on the course however it suits you.”