When you look back at the turning points in your life every detail stands out to be remembered and recalled out of all proportion.  In writing about our experiences, I must attempt to describe the undescribable, and ask you to imagine the unimaginable, as we share with you Rachel's story......

Rachel was in every sense of the word a bright and lively child, interested in everything and everyone, always wanting to be noticed, and constantly competing for attention with her older sister Laura.

When Rachel was approximately 71/2 years old we started to notice subtle changes.  Suddenly she no longer always seemed to be wanting to play out, or when she did she would come in soon after.  She didn't appear to be as lively.

One day in June 2003 after picking Rachel up from school I was told she had a headache for part of the day.  Like any other parent I dismisssed this as just being something paracetemol would sort out.  However,over the following few weeks she complained more often about headaches and even started to fall asleep during class.

As parents, we still didn't really think anything could be so wrong, thinking that the warm weather and general tiredness were the problem.  However with hindsight (which is a wonderful thing) I could see warning signs.  Rachel lost her appetite, was tired and even had headaches on wakening in the morning.

In July 2003 we went on our usual family holiday to Wales, (again thinking this was all Rachel needed). Whie we were there Rachel became very poorly very quickly.  Her headaches became more intense, she stopped eating and drinking, became nauseous and very lethargic.

Instinct by now told us something was very wrong.  We came home from holiday early and went straight to hospital.  A number of tests were done including a CAT scan.

On Saturday morning 26 July 2003 we were totally unprepared for the shock of being told that Rachel had an incurable brain tumour - a growth seated so deep inside her brain that any treatment should be viewed with hope rather than expectation.  She had also developed hydrocephalus - a build up of fluid on the brain.

Nothing can describe the ice cold fear that numbed us at being told that we were facing the very real prospect that our bright, beautiful little girl was going to die.  A strange sense of unreality set in, and in a blur we accepted the hospital's advice that surgery followed by radiotherapy was her only chance.  Six operations followed, followed by a six week course of radiotherapy.  Chemotherapy was planned after that.

The radiotherapy was successful in that it halted the growth of the tumour long enough for her and her school friends to enjoy her 8th birthday party and for us to enjoy a brilliant although poignant Christmas.

Sadly in February 2004 the tumour in Rachel's brain started to grow with aggression.  We were told by the doctor's there was nothing more to be done.

• Rachel lost her fight to cancer on 30 March 2004 at the age of 8 years 4 months.  She was a very brave little girl who always seemed to manage a smile which everyone  who ever met her always noticed.  We as a family feel her loss enormously, and as we approach her 1st anniversary, hope that one day we will be able to look back on her life with fond memories, rather than the overwhelming grief which so often threatens to consume us.