'She had the strength of a lion': Terminally ill girl, 5, who went on her dream holiday to Disneyland thanks to MailOnline readers loses her brave battle with cancer

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A heartbroken mother has revealed her terminally ill daughter - known as 'little lion' thanks to her man of red hair and ferocious courage - has lost her battle with cancer.  

Jolene Hale, 35, from Charlton, south east London, said she was able to make five-year-old Isabella Coomber's dreams come true thanks to the generosity of strangers - including MailOnline readers - after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged one. 

The youngster died at home on Friday surrounded by her mother Jolene, grandmother and sisters Rebecca, nine, Sophia, four and Gabriella, one – just seven days after she was pictured laughing happily on her first ever school trip. 

Isabella Coomber, five, was known as ‘little lion’ because of her mane of red hair and amazing courage 

The youngster died at home on Friday surrounded by her family after losing her battle with cancer

Jolene said: ‘She was the bravest lion. Isabella loved life and she fought so hard.

'I feel so very very lucky to have had her as my daughter and her beauty, courage and bravery will live on in us. 

‘She will forever be our little lion cub. Right now I am broken and missing her with every breath I take, but I am determined to be as strong and brave as my daughter was. 

‘I am so incredibly proud of her. She had the strength of a lion and now so must I.’  

She was diagnosed with cancer aged one, with doctors telling her family it was terminal when she was three

She was given months to life in April 2014 but outlived predictions to start school in September 2015

Her mother (left) made the heartbreaking decision to halt treatment to allow her to enjoy a better quality of life

Isabella’s plight was shared after her mother made the heartbreaking decision to halt chemotherapy when she was three to allow her to enjoy a better quality of life.

She had already endured two years of gruelling treatment before doctors warned Jolene that Isabella could never be cured.

After stopping treatment she asked her daughter what she would most like to do and Isabella announced that she wanted to visit Disney World in Florida.

Heartbroken Jolene knew she could never afford it so she appealed for public donations, which enabled her daughter’s wish to come true.

Mother Jolene paid tribute to Isabella, describing her as the 'bravest lion' who 'fought so hard' 

She was there were 'no tears' while Isabella was alive, adding that all she knew was 'fun and laughter' 

She said the family had ‘made memories to cherish forever,’ thanks to the generosity of strangers, including MailOnline readers, who pledged tens of thousands of pounds.

She said: ‘Thanks to the readers who donated we have so many magical memories that we are reliving over and over, they are making us laugh and cry all at one. 

‘Those memories are keeping us strong and to us are priceless. Thank you so much to everyone.’ 

Jolene also managed to fulfil several more of her daughter’s wishes, including making her a big sister again and getting her a dog.

She said: ‘There were no tears while Isabella was here, all she knew was fun, laughter and joy.’

She said the family had ‘made memories to cherish forever’ thanks to the generosity of strangers

Jolene also managed to fulfil several of her daughter’s wishes, including making her a big sister again

Isabella is pictured here hugging her mother's tummy when her baby sister was on the way

Isabella was born in perfect health on September 30 2010. But at just five months old Jolene began to worry something was wrong.

She says her concerns over Isabella were dismissed by GPs who assured her ‘all babies grow differently.’

But by ten months and still unable to sit she was finally referred for tests. A brain scan revealed a large tumour on December 16 2011. 

Initially it was thought not to be cancerous and surgery was arranged to remove it. 

But surgeons were only able to remove 80 per cent; the rest was too dangerous to operate on as it was wrapped around a main blood vessel. 

Isabella had already endured two years of gruelling treatment before doctors warned Jolene that she could never be cured

Her red hair led to nurses at the Lion Ward at the Royal Marsden, London, to nickname her ‘ little lion’

As she recovered in hospital, nurses on Lion Ward at the Royal Marsden nicknamed her ‘ little lion’ because of her red hair and bravery - and the name stuck.

But tests showed the tumour was cancerous and she started chemotherapy, causing her locks to fall out.

Then in April 2014 the little girl was given just months to live. 

Jolene said: ‘The words shattered me. To be told your daughter will never grow up breaks your heart.

The youngster, pictured with her sister Gabriella, managed to go on her first ever school trip before she died

She was able to go to Disneyland in America after her mother appealed for public donations 

Isabella (centre) is pictured here with her sisters Sophia (top left), Gabriella (left) and Rebecca (right)

‘So instead of fighting for her life, we began to fight to give her the best life.’ 

Isabella originally continued chemotherapy in a bid to extend the time she had left but it left her so ill that Jolene made the gut-wrenching decision to halt treatment so she could enjoy quality of life instead.

She said: ‘She was too sick to do anything. She had already spent too much of her life in hospital, I knew it was time for her to live her life to the full.’ 

Consultants agreed to withdraw treatment, and assured Jolene she would only be wasting precious time if she tried to arrange treatment abroad.

Jolene grew concerned that there was something wrong at just five months old. A brain scan a few months later revealed a large tumour

Initially it was thought not to be cancerous and surgery was arranged to remove it, but they could only remove 80 per cent 

Further tests showed the tumour was cancerous and she started chemotherapy. It meant her trademark red hair sadly fell out 

Cash that had been raised for treatment was instead spent on a caravan to offer respite holidays to the families of children with cancer. 

It meant that when Jolene decided to take Isabella to Disney in America, having already been to Disneyland in Paris, fundraising had to start again.

After telling her story to MailOnline, Jolene was astounded when funds were raised in hours after the nation took ‘ little lion’ to their hearts.

The trip took place in January 2014 and for the rest of the year Isabella stunned doctors by defying their expectations and even starting school in September. Her thick mane of curly red hair grew back and was Isabella’s pride and joy.

Isabella (right) is pictured in hospital with her mother and sisters Rebecca (left) and baby Sophia

The youngster managed to go on her first ever school trip to the Cutty Sark a week before she died 

Jolene said: ‘She loved her hair, and she loved being everyone’s little lion.’

The mother eventually gave birth to her fourth daughter, Gabriella, making another one of Isabella's dreams come true.

There had been fears that she may not live long enough to meet her. 

Jolene said: ‘We were lucky enough to experience some wonderful things thanks to all those that donated but Isabella also loved normal life too, going to school and helping me change nappies.’

She started in reception in September 2015 and loved going to school. She remained relatively fit and well, despite scans showing the tumour was growing. 

Isabella (right), pictured with her sisters Rebecca and Sophia, managed to enjoy a normal life prior to her death

The five-year-old (left) even helped her mother change nappies when her youngest sister as born 

On April 22 she went on her first school trip with her mother to visit the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, near the family home in Charlton. 

Jolene said: ‘She loved it, she was happy and smiling all day. I would never have guessed we would have just one week left with her.’

The following week on Wednesday 27 Jolene celebrated her 35th birthday but Isabella felt sick.

She recalled: ‘She told me she had a headache and wished she wasn’t sick on my birthday. I told her not to worry at all and we snuggled up.’ 

But she became sleepy and the following night complained she couldn’t see. Jolene said: ‘ I knew then we were coming to the end. We all held her hand and spoke so she knew we were there all the time.

Isabella (right) is pictured opening presents with her older sister Rebecca at Christmas 

She started in reception in September 2015 and loved going to school, despite her illness. Her red mane grew back after treatment was halted 

Following Isabella's death Jolene saw a cloud in the shape of a lion in the sky, which she believes was 'her way of telling me she is OK’

I asked her if she knew how much I loved her and she answered: ‘Yes, too much,’ which is what we always said to each other. 

She lost her battle on April 29 at 1.45pm.

Jolene said: ‘It had happened too quickly and we weren’t ready. We needed another night with her at home to say all the things we wanted to do.

'The girls would have been more upset not to have seen her than to see her.’ 

 Her mother thanked the public for their support, adding that the 'memories are keeping us strong'

Isabella was absolutely delighted when she came a big sister again to baby Gabriella

On Saturday Jolene accompanied her daughter’s body to Demelza Hospice and was stunned to notice a cloud in the shape of a lion.

She said: ‘The sun was shining and from nowhere appeared a cloud in the shape of a lion, it was her way of telling me she is okay.’ 

Friends are now raising funds to arrange a magical themed funeral. 

Jolene said: ‘It will be as her short life was, colourful, magical and fun. We will sprinkle coloured sand and glitter on her coffin and say goodbye but she will always be with us.’

To donate please visit https://www.gofundme.com/2k5cqnqs