By Susannah Keogh
12th January 2018, 2:26 pm
Updated: 13th January 2018, 10:33 am
Nine-year-old Bailey Cooper battled Non-Hodgkin lymphoma for 15 months, but despite doctors predicting he wouldn't last to see the tot born, he was determined to live to hold his new sister.
Bailey was determined to survive long enough to hold newborn sister Millie in his arms
Mum Rachel, 28, had a baby daughter in November, and the day before he died on Christmas Eve, Bailey was pictured cradling the baby in his arms, who they named Millie at his request.
In their last meeting together as a family, he told his devastated parents: "You're only allowed to cry for 20 minutes. You have to take care of Riley and Millie."
Bailey's dad Lee, 30, said: "Doctors said he was going to go before Millie was born.
"He didn't. He fought and, on the way to hospital, he said we should call her Millie.
Bailey pictured carrying little sister Millie for the last time
Doctors said Bailey wouldn't survive long enough to meet Millie but he battled on
Brave Bailey endured 15 months of treatment for his terminal cancer - but his family say he never stopped smiling
"But the moment after he met her, he began to taper off quickly. He was slipping away."
Mum Rachel added: "We didn't think he would last that long, but he was determined to meet Millie.
"It got to the end of November and Millie was born. He hugged her and did everything an older brother would do - change her, wash her, sing to her.''
After being taken to a hospice on December 22, Bailey's family gathered by his bedside and read him stories to keep him company.
Bailey picked out Christmas presents before his death - but his family noticed they were best suited to his little brother Riley
The family stayed by Bailey's bedside at the hospice before his death on Christmas Eve
Nine-year-old Bailey was treated with chemotherapy and steroids, but his cancer returned
Rachel said: "We knew it was not going to be long. We told him 'It's time to go Bailey. Stop'.
"The moment we said 'stop', he took his last breath and had just the one tear come out of his eye. It was peaceful."
The family encouraged Bailey to write a list of gifts he would like, despite knowing he was unlikely to survive to celebrate Christmas.
Touchingly, they noticed the gifts all seemed to be chosen with his younger brother Riley, 6, in mind.
The family gathered by Bailey's bedside to read to him in his last few days
Bailey planned his own funeral and asked guests to dress as superheroes
Lee added: "We were going to get everything he asked for. But most of the stuff he asked for were things he never played with.
"They were more suited for his little brother. He had picked everything for Riley because he knew he was not going to play with them."
Bailey first became ill in the summer of 2016, and after a series of tests in September he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, which develops in the network of vessels and glands in the body.
By the time it was discovered, it was already in Stage Three.
Bailey had planned his own funeral and asked that all guests dressed up in superhero outfits.
Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects to Bailey on January 6, including Bristol Rovers FC captain Tom Lockyer, who struck up a friendship with the young football fan.
Lee said: "Bailey smiled through it all. He pulled funny faces and made people laugh, even though he was in so much pain."
Post time 31-1-2018 01:07 AM
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