THE family of a five-year-old girl who died after suffering with a rare form of childhood cancer have paid tribute to their lovely, happy girl.

Hooria Iqbal, from Brierfield, complained of back pain in February this year and was taken by her mother, Farzana, to Pendle View Medical Centre, where she was told that her daughter was suffering from growing pains.

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When the pains did not pass, Farzana took her daughter back to the GP, only to be told it was a urine infection.

Days later, Hooria stopped being able to walk and was referred to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

In March, blood tests were carried out and Hooria was sent to Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a disease that affects fewer than 60 children in the UK per year, and had caused several tumours to grow along Hooria’s spine.

The Pendle Primary Academy pupil received surgery to remove one of the tumours, followed by a course of chemotherapy.

In May, Hooria’s tumours were gone, but doctors continued her chemotherapy and began radiotherapy treatment.

Hooria then picked up a cough which was then diagnosed as pneumocystis pneumonia, a rare form of the lung condition caused by a yeast-like fungus, and admitted to intensive care, put on a ventilator and sedated, at the children’s hospital in July.

On August 6, doctors told the family that Hooria was not strong enough to survive the infection and that they would be turning off her ventilator, allowing her to die peacefully.

Mother-of-six, Mrs Iqbal, of Halifax Road, said: “She died in my arms surrounded by the whole family.

“Her name means ‘angel of heaven’, and that’s where she is now.

“She was a lovely, happy, normal five-year-old.

“She had always been healthy, and we’ve got no history of cancer in our family.

“We’ve no answers as to why this happened to her.

“She was the baby of the family and we all miss her terribly.

“She was popular at school and all the children miss her.

“We’re glad we could have had her, even if it was only for her short life.”

Pendle Primary Academy is planning a memorial event to Hooria soon.