A mum is planning to take on an incredible challenge next month to raise vital funds for a worthy cause after a brain tumour diagnosis devastated her family.
Her daughter Sonia was diagnosed with a brain tumour in August 2019, following months of tests to try and find the cause of her unexplained weight loss.
“Sonia was nearly 18 months old when we noticed she was losing weight”, Paola explained.
“She weighed 10 kilos at 12 months, but six months later she’d dropped to nine kilos. We saw the GP, who thought it was because she was beginning to walk and move more [but] she’d also stopped breastfeeding and had started nursery, so there were lots of changes going on.
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“As a mum, I was worried I wasn’t giving her the right foods, but she seemed to be eating normally and enjoyed healthy food, especially broccoli and avocado [so] I spoke to the health visitor, who encouraged me to put pressure on the GP for a referral to a paediatrician”.
In March 2019, as Sonia’s weight was still not increasing, they were referred to a paediatrician at Trafford General Hospital.
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Sonia, who was two at the time, underwent blood tests, but no cause for her weight loss was found.
Paola continued: “In May 2019, they took stool samples and she had an x-ray and an ultrasound on her stomach [but] again, they found nothing.
“Four months later, we were sent to the gastroenterology department at Manchester Royal Children’s Hospital [and] they carried out a colonoscopy and a biopsy and did further blood tests and scans.
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“They also tested for diabetes, as she was drinking a lot of water [but] nothing revealed any abnormalities.”
Brain Tumour ResearchBrain Tumour Research
Finally, Sonia was sent for an MRI scan, which to Paola’s huge shock, revealed a large mass on her brain.
“My husband and I were completely dumbfounded.” Paola continued.
“I had started to think there was something seriously wrong with Sonia, but I never suspected a brain tumour – we couldn’t believe it. At that stage, they didn’t know whether it was low or high grade, or whether they would be able to operate [and] we had to wait a few days for a biopsy.”
Sonia’s biopsy revealed the tumour was a suprasellar low-grade glioma, near to the pituitary gland – which influences many processes, including growth.
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Because of its location close to the optic nerve, Sonia’s tumour was inoperable.
Paola added: “We discussed Sonia’s treatment plan with her consultant oncologist and opted for an 18-month course of chemotherapy, which she started in September 2019. She had to have a port inserted next to her heart, through which the drugs would be administered weekly.
“Being in hospital made Sonia very upset and angry and she cried a lot.”
Brain Tumour Research
As she contracted viruses and suffered high fevers at the beginning of her chemotherapy regime, Sonia spent much of October, November and December 2019 in hospital, but in December, Paola’s family visited from Mexico and by January 2020 Sonia was well enough to celebrate her third birthday at home with her relatives.
Paola said: “Even though 2020 was a hugely challenging year for so many people, for us, it was really positive, as it marked significant improvement in Sonia’s health.
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“As her chemotherapy progressed, her mood improved. She gained weight and the tumour even started to shrink a little bit. In September she was well enough to start pre-school, which was just fantastic after everything she has been through.
“She’s thriving and is very happy.”
Sonia has 17 weeks of chemotherapy left, and she continues to be monitored with MRI scans every three months.
Brain Tumour Research
Paola is set to join thousands of other fundraisers around the country by completing 10,000 Steps a Day for 28 days next month in aid of Brain Tumour Research.
“Research is really important to us, as it meant that when Sonia got her diagnosis, she had treatment options and when there are options, there is hope.” Paola said.
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“I’ve signed up to this challenge to raise awareness and support a cause really close to our hearts.
“My own mental health suffered because of Sonia’s illness and I overate and gained weight, as I struggled to cope [so] I have started walking and running again to lose the weight and I’m hoping that joining this challenge will also impact positively on my mental wellbeing.
“And as well as getting out and pounding the pavements, I’ll be clocking up the steps by dancing with Sonia [as] it’s something we love to do together.”
Sonia’s dad Ivan Aparicio added: “We have been very lucky so far because Sonia has responded to the treatment [but] throughout our journey, we have encountered families whose children have exactly the same tumour as Sonia and they are on their third round of chemo and slowly going blind.
“It breaks my heart and terrifies me to see what this brain tumour can do.
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“While chemotherapy is a well-known treatment, it isn’t always effective, and its side effects can have a lasting impact on a child’s life.
“More research is definitely needed to find treatments that are predictable, effective and safe.”
Brain Tumour Research
Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated centres in the UK.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, and the only way to change that is through research to find more effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
Matthew Price – Community Development Manager at Brain Tumour Research – added: “We were so sorry to learn about Sonia’s brain tumour diagnosis, but we are also really pleased that she is making good progress and responding well to treatment.
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“We wish her all the best for the rest of her chemotherapy.
“We thank Paola for signing up to take part in our challenge and will be with her every step of the way, helping to get us closer to a cure.”
You can find further information about the 10,000 Steps a Day in February in the challenge’s dedicated Facebook group here, and learn more via the Brain Tumour Research website.
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Fans are preparing to pay tribute to Mani from The Stone Roses ahead of his funeral service
Danny Jones
Stone Roses fans and Greater Manchester locals alike are getting ready to pay their respects to the late, great, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, following his tragic passing last month.
As well as details surrounding his funeral being announced earlier this week, the iconic Manc musician’s cause of death has also finally been revealed.
While Hatton’s service featured a high-profile cortège which started all the way from his hometown of Hyde, past multiple landmarks and ending at the Etihad Stadium, those local to Mani’s family home on the edge of Stockport are also being welcomed to help send him off.
It's the funeral of Mani of the Stone Roses on the 22nd. He lived locally. This poster is asking people to line the route of his funeral cortege to "show that he truly was adored". pic.twitter.com/X0DYHl10Hp
He had been struggling with emphysema for some time; he was declared dead at his home in the suburb of Heaton Moor, and is said to have died peacefully in his sleep.
As you can see from the posters put in various places around the area, residents wishing to pay their own tributes to Mani before his private funeral service at Manchester Cathedral are encouraged to line the long street leading down from St Paul’s and Heaton Moor United Church as he heads towards the city.
Departing Parsonage Road from 10am on Monday, 22 December, before turning right onto Heaton Moor Rd, then Wellington and eventually on to the Cathedral, you can expect plenty of people to show up.
One of those people will be his former bandmate and another influential guitarist, John Squire, who is one of many famous musical names to have honoured him in their own way over the last few weeks.
Other members of The Stone Roses, as well as Primal Scream (who he joined in 1996), are expected to join the close family and friends at the service itself.
Nevertheless, we have no doubt that plenty will be observing the funeral in their own way.
So, for those of you also looking to honour him, you know what to do; and to quote the poster itself, “together we can show this local legend and his family that he was truly adored.”
The best Christmas party food and picky bits from M&S this year
Daisy Jackson
Clear the tables, pop the oven on to pre-heat, and set the paper plates – it’s Christmas, and that can only mean it’s party food season again.
No one does silly little festive nibbles quite like M&S, with their Christmas party food range getting more and more extravagant every single winter.
2025 is absolutely no exception – expect the likes of cubed rice, snowman-shaped bao, tiny Yorkie puds and plenty more delicious madness besides.
We’ve been down in the aisles of everyone’s favourite posh supermarket to see exactly what concoctions they’ve conjured up this year, and did not leave disappointed.
This is not just party food, this is M&S Christmas party food.
A very Marbella Christmas
Have you ever seen a square paella before? No? You haven’t lived mate.
These angular rice bites are one of three Spanish-influenced picky bits in M&S this Christmas, alongside tiny tortillas and patatas bravas stacks (tiny potato rostis topped with tomato sauce and chorizo then served with a garlic sauce on the side).
Don’t be put off by the hot pink prawn curled up on the rice bed like a dog that’s been bought a bed two sizes too small…
A little fishy on a little dishy
Everyone knows that the M&S salmon and potato salad is one of their most elite items, so those hot smoked salmon rosti bites are going STRAIGHT in my basket.
If you like your fish dishes really bite-sized, there’s also the smoked salmon appetisers that look like they’ve been lifted right out of a 1960s cookbook.
And of course, tiger prawns wrapped in various shapes and sizes of pastry, too.
Jingle baos
If you’d told me three years ago that bao would become a staple on every posh Christmas buffet, I’d have sent you to the hospital.
But they’re back for a third year in a new novelty festive shape, and this time, M&S has gone to new heights.
Presenting – double decker bao in the shape of a snowman, complete with cosy green scarf and a veggie pad Thai filling.
Some of them look like they’ve been through the wars, don’t they?
Pam Shipman would buy these
If you’re not a Gavin & Stacey fan, just imagine the following section being read aloud by a flapping (ideally Essex) mother with a fresh blowdry and a waft of YSL Libra about her.
“Those, Bryn, are M&S mushroom vol-oh-vohnts.”
“A little goat cheese tart for you, Smithy?” (“Who you calling a tart Pamelarrr you minx!”)
Basically, these are the posh little nibbles your mums will gravitate towards to show off their hosting gravitas.
Merry Texmexmas
M&S always seems to lean over to the States for inspiration for its party food and this year is no different.
They’ve got a real Tex-Mex flavour going on in 2025, with Christmas party food including mini vegetable tacos filled with peppers and sweetcorn.
There are also those impossible-to-eat-why-are-you-sliding-everywhere miniature beef burgers, back to piss me off for another year.
Ee by gum it must be Christmas
‘Ey up! Has M&S recruited an actual Northerner to help put together the party food for Christmas this year?!
We all know the deal with British pub food – a little bit stodgy, very comforting, and incredibly filling. Okay, now picture that, but not remotely filling.
M&S has brought back a couple of its miniature bites inspired by classic British fare – pies that fit in the palm of your hand (beef and ale, or chicken and leek), and Yorkshire puddings so small they must’ve been baked in a cupcake tin. Cute.
The most important picky bit of the day
Whether or not to bother with breakfast on Christmas morning seems to be a bit of a hot topic – what’s the point in a bowl of cornflakes when you’re readying to slam the biggest meal of the year in a matter of hours?
Well, M&S is making sure the most important meal of the day infiltrates all the way through to party time with these two.
A stack of miniature pancakes and slivers of bacon, plus pint-sized ham and cheese croissants. Has anyone ever handed you a croissant on a dancefloor before? This might be the year.
Better than your mum’s turkey curry
Oh now we’re cooking with tandoor! Not one, but two picky bits inspired by Britain’s national dish – curry. And the most British curry of all, a chicken tikka masala.
For Christmas this year M&S has created the world’s smallest naan breads, which are topped with tikka chicken and pickled pink onions.
And in the other hand, there are spiced potato and spinach dosa rolls, which we have literally never seen on any buffet spread before ever, but sure.
Get it before it’s scone
If your hand impulsively twitches towards a Christmas sandwich every time you’re shopping for a meal deal, get a load of this – tiny mini turkey feast toasties. Yay!
These tiny square sarnies have got pulled turkey, stuffing, ham hock, Emmental cheese, cranberry sauce AND gravy in them, somehow. When did M&S unlock a cheat code to overcome sandwich physics?
There are also miniature mature Barber’s cheddar scones, with honey and mustard pulled ham inside. They sound like a sheer winner.
That’s not a hambush, it’s a charcutertree!
Oh, look who’s back to make a mockery of your flat cheese board again. It’s the Christmas Charcuter-tree. Sigh.
Real fancy people present their cured meat and cheese selection in the shape of a Christmas tree (obviously) and M&S have got a build-you-own kit available for £23 (that’s actually two quid cheaper than last year).
I can only begin to imagine the meltdown I’d have as another piece of salami refused to act like tinsel and unravelled onto the table.
Emily Sergeant -
21st January 2021 
