The father of a “smiley, strong and happy” little girl has paid tribute to his daughter, as he tries to raise money for the charities that helped his family.

Grace Turner-Hutton was 19 months old when she died on May 4, due to ETMR, a rare and almost always terminal cancer.

Born in late August 2020 in Ipswich Hospital, she was much loved by all those around her.

Andy Hutton, Grace’s dad, said: “She was an always smiling, always happy girl.

“She very rarely cried, at night she would just go to sleep and sleep really well.

“Despite everything that was going on with her, she still just kept on smiling and she was just such a really happy little girl.”

On November 18 2021, she was taken to Ipswich Hospital after not being her normal self, and was referred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge which is where they discovered the brain tumour.

She stayed there for the following three months while being treated.

On February 3, treatment was stopped as Grace had too many complications and was given two to six weeks left to live.

She was transferred to The Treehouse Hospice in Ipswich, run by EACH (East Anglia Children's Hospice) which is where they stayed until her passing, 12 weeks after treatment was stopped.

Mr Hutton said: “The nurses at Addenbrooke’s became really attached to Grace.

“We were there for a long time and had some really tough times, she wouldn’t wake up for days but when she was awake, she was always her cheeky, happy self and would always interact with them and try and clap along with songs.

“If you started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, even though she went through a time when she couldn’t talk, she would still do the little hand gestures and the nurses would come in and do that with her and the play team at Addenbrooke’s are just amazing.

“Grace loved her music, just like me. We spent a lot of time in the music room at The Treehouse playing piano and guitar, making good use of Ed Sheeran’s guitar.

“Even into her last week, she couldn’t open her eyes, but she would still do motions to different songs.

“When we did ‘wind the bobbin up’, when it came to the ‘clap clap clap’ part she would still be trying to clap, her strength just kept everyone going I think.”

Andy is now raising money for the three charities that helped support Grace and her family through the difficult time.

They are raising money for Addenbrooke’s Ward C2, The Sick Children’s Trust and EACH.

He said: “We want to give back to the charities to thank them for everything they have done as they do such amazing work.

“We were at Addenbrooke’s Ward C2 over Christmas, and when we woke up on Christmas morning, they had put out a stocking for myself and Grace at the bottom of our bed.

“We want to enable the play team to carry on their vital work to brighten the days of children living in hospital, and want to make sure they can keep providing presents for families like us, who are in hospital over Christmas.

“The Sick Children’s Trust are a great charity who provide free of charge, accommodation for families whose children are in intensive care.

“They have a house on the Addenbrooke campus which is where I stayed for free with a shower and kitchen. It was nice not having to worry about finding accommodation.

“Finally, EACH, we stayed there for three months and the facilities and setting is beautiful.

“The music room where me and Grace spent a lot of time, they wash your clothes, they feed you and they do all the medical care.

“What they do is mind blowing to the point of wanting to highlight what all these charities do.

“They made the hardest time of my life, a little more bearable.”

To donate to these charities and show your support for the work they do, please click here.