Betsy Badminton was 5 years old when her older sister, 9-year-old Evie-Mae, accidentally threw a book at her during a normal sibling fight.
The blow left her with a minor cut near the eye. Nothing serious, thought Katie, her mother, in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. But two weeks later, Betsy’s left pupil stopped moving normally.
Katie took her to the doctor, convinced that the blow had affected some nerve. An MRI showed something else: a two-centimeter tumor lodged deep inside the girl’s brain.
At first, they believed it could be benign.
In March 2025, Betsy’s right arm and leg began to weaken, and doctors treated her with steroids as the disease progressed.
Betsy held on for 11 months. During her final nights, Katie had to sing lullabies to her so she could fall asleep, knowing that each one could be the last.