Neve’s story

Neve was only three when she was diagnosed with a tumour in her middle brain. Since then she has undergone several long periods of chemotherapy and countless MRI scans to monitor the tumour’s development. It was an experience that Neve used to dread before the children’s radiology department opened in 2015.

Neve’s mum says: “An MRI scan is a daunting thing for even an adult to have to go through so I can’t imagine what it feels like for a small child. The rooms we used to go to were dark and the machines were big and having to stay still for so long without anything to comfort or distract her was too much for Neve.

“When she was smaller she was often given a general anaesthetic to have her scans but since the opening of the new children’s MRI scanner, she hasn’t needed to. The rooms are bright and there are toys and lights to occupy her. The scanner is smaller so less daunting and the inbuilt DVD system not only means that she has something to distract her, but means she has something familiar from home to give her comfort. It’s vital for Neve to have MRI scans but now she doesn’t get anxious in the build up to them and I don’t have to worry about her having another general anaesthetic”