Exclusive:'She deserves a princess send-off': Leeds parents honour daughter Octavia lost to brain tumour
For almost two years, little Octavia brought joy, laughter and kindness to everyone around her, defying the odds at every step.
Born prematurely at 29 weeks, the Leeds girl faced developmental challenges from the start. When her parents, Adam and Elysée, noticed her eye beginning to drift, they voiced concerns to their GP - but were reassured multiple times.
A year later, when her eyes became completely crossed, doctors finally referred her for an MRI. “They thought it was a condition with the muscle in the back of her eye,” Adam told the Yorkshire Evening Post. Instead, the scan revealed an aggressive brain tumour.
In September 2023, aged just four, Octavia was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma and given nine to 12 months to live.
“You go straight into grief,” Adam said. “You’re grieving for her while she’s still here, trying to make every moment count.”
Despite the prognosis, Octavia’s fighting spirit shone through. “When she was able to, she just wanted to be a normal child. We managed to get her into school for a term, so she could be a normal child, even during her illness,” Adam recalled.
Outside the classroom, she continued to brighten the lives of everyone she met. “She’d go around the shop and say hello to everyone, making everyone smile,” Adam said. “She was so loving with her brother [Edmund], who has autism.
“She’d always do ‘row, row your boat’ and give him cuddles and kisses. She was a very cheeky little thing.”
With support from friends, family, the local community and charities including Candlelighters and Achie’s Caravan, the Cooks were able to create precious memories together, from day trips to a family holiday in Turkey and Disneyland Paris.
Determined to live fully, Octavia underwent radiotherapy alongside trial medication, which at times gave her bursts of strength. “The minute she had the medicine, she immediately was able to return to normal and keep the nurses high-fiving. Even at the hospice at the end, she still was able to laugh and have a little sense of humour.”
On August 12, 2025, nearly two years after her diagnosis, Octavia passed away at just six years old.
A GoFundMe appeal, set up by a family friend, is helping to give her the farewell she deserves. Her funeral will take place on Thursday, September 11, with a target of £3,000 already 91 per cent reached.
Adam said: “She was always a crafty and happy person. It’s giving her the best send-off possible and giving her what she needs. She deserves a little princess send-off.”
You can find the GoFundMe campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/octavia-cook-age-6-years-old