Mum shares heartbreaking photo of toddler sobbing through gruelling cancer treatment – The Sun

THIS is the heartbreaking moment a tiny toddler sobs her way through agonising cancer treatment.

Sophia Soto's devastated mum took the photo while her little 14-month-old was having a lead put on her chest.

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Sophia was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastomaafter tumours were discovered behind her eyes and on her kidney.

And her mum Rosie, 40, is now sharing the harrowing image in a bid to highlight the traumatic reality of childhood cancer.

Speaking about the poignant picture, Rosie, from Florida, USA, said: "The picture of Sophia upset really does home in on the reality of childhood cancer.

"She was having a lead put on her chest for her treatment - which she didn't want - hence why Sophia was so upset.

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"I look back at the picture now and wonder how I did it; it was so hard watching my little girl so ill."

Rosie first suspected something was wrong with Sophia after she began developing bruising around her eyes - something she claims doctors repeatedly dismissed as being from bump or fall.

It wasn't until Rosie took Sophia to see an eye specialist that they spotted what they suspected tumours behind her eyes were causing the bruising.

Rosie added: "Sophia kept getting bruising on her eyes and I didn't recall her falling over or anything, so I didn't understand where they were come from.

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"I kept taking her to the doctors because the bruising wasn't going away, but they just said it must have been from a bump or something.

"Sophia wasn't referred for a scan or biopsy until I went to see an eye specialist with her who knew straight away that it was caused by a tumour.

"She was sent for an MRI where black spots appeared on the scans confirming the tumours behind her eyes.

"It was then the biopsy which found the tumours on one of her kidneys as well which led to her stage 4 neuroblastoma diagnosis."

Neuroblastoma is a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and children and develops from specialised nerve cells left behind from a baby's development in the womb.

I kept taking her to the doctors because the bruising wasn't going away, but they just said it must have been from a bump or something

After being diagnosed in March 2014, the then 14-month-old endured 60 rounds of chemotherapy, 20 rounds of radiation and a stem cell transplant over a six months period.

Thankfully, Sophia, now six, has been in remission for five years and now looks like a completely different child compared to the one in the heart wrenching photograph.

She was told she was in remission in November 2014 and has been medication free for two years.

Sophia isn't yet classified as 'cancer free' so still goes for check ups every six months with specialists.

What are the symptoms of cancer in children?

Cancer symptoms can be very similar to those of other childhood illnesses - and they vary between children.

According toCancer Research UK, there are 15 signs to look out for:

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The brave six-year-old still has tumours behind her eyes which cannot be removed due to the placement of them, but doctors believe the tumours are benign and therefore not causing Sophia too much harm.

Rosie added: "Doctors are reluctant to remove the tumours Sophia currently has behind her eyes as they've said it would be likely the surgery to disfigure her face.

"Whilst they are tumours, doctors are reasonably confident that they are not cancerous so we have decided to not have the surgery right now, but it may be something she has when she's older."

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Sophia now looks like any other fun-loving child and from her appearance, you would never know she had cancer.

The six-year-old loves to dance and hopes of becoming a vet one day.

Rosie said: "No one can imagine what she went through looking at her now - she just looks like a normal regular child.

"Sophia has her moments when she asks about when she was sick and has questions about her treatment scars, but over all she's a pretty happy girl.

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"If I was to say anything to other parents with children battling cancer, I'd say to them to not give up, stay positive and keep your faith.

"It's really important not to compare your child's process to anyone else as everyone battles illnesses differently as every situation is different.

"We're over the moon that Sophia is now doing so well - we're really blessed that she's such a fighter."

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Mum shares heartbreaking photo of toddler sobbing through gruelling cancer treatment - The Sun