Derry Girls star Zoe Brown has been diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of four.
Zoe and her twin sister Sophie played Erin Quinn’s little sister Anna in the hit Irish sitcom.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Zoe’s mother Leah Brown said her baby girl is “still smiling” after starting her cancer treatment.
“She’s been in theatre so many times, she gets lumbar punctures to put chemo in her spinal fluid as well and that’s done under anaesthetic,” she explained.
“You never think your child is going to be in theatre at all and the last seven weeks, she has been in loads of times.”
Leah revealed the four-year-old is worried about the loss of her hair, and said: “I know that’s not the main concern, but it’s the saddest wee bit for her.”
“Zoe just had the longest, thickest hair and it was the first thing anyone talked about when they saw her,” she recalled.
Lisa McGee, the creator of Derry Girls, has since reached out to the family to express her sympathy for the little actress.
“I am so sorry Zoe is going through this,” she tweeted. “She’s the most wonderful little girl and we are lucky to have her as part of our Derry Girls family.”
Zoe will need treatment up until Christmas, and will require chemotherapy for two years thereafter.
A friend of the Brown family has also set up a JustGiving page to help with Zoe’s medical costs.
Little Zoe and her sister played Baby Anna in #DerryGirls. There’s a link to a fundraiser in this article. Please consider donating if you can 💕
Young Derry Girls actor diagnosed with leukaemia https://t.co/sSPRP5hYSS
— Lisa McGee (@LisaMMcGee) June 17, 2022
The page reads, “Zoe who is twin to Sophie, 4 years old, got a diagnosis in May that she has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.”
“It all happened so fast, she has had 3 blood transfusions then has had a bone marrow biopsy. Her treatment includes lots of different chemotherapy drugs.”
“The side affects of all these drugs are brutal, she can barely walk at the minute and has lost all her hair,” it continued.
“It’s a long road ahead so with the help of our community we can all come together and do what we can to help the family.”
The fundraiser initially aimed to raise £500, but since it’s establishment it has already raised close to £5,000 by just 201 supporters.
