FRIENDS and family gathered to pay tribute to tragic tot Layla Greene one year after she lost her brave battle with an aggressive cancer.
A balloon release was held at Hawkhead Cemetery, in Paisley, to honour the Renfrew youngster at her place of burial.
Layla died from neuroblastoma at the age of three last January, after months spent fighting the rare cancer.
READ MORE: Mum pays tribute to brave daughter who lost neuroblastoma fight
Her mum, Louise Cunningham, said the anniversary of her daughter’s passing had been “horrific” to face but she knew marking it with friends and family was the right thing to do.
She told The Gazette: “It’s been a horrendous couple of weeks and, for a while, I didn’t want to do anything, I just wanted to hide away.
“But then I woke up one morning and decided I needed to do something, as Layla loved being around her family and friends.
“It has been harder than I ever thought it would be. It hit me like a tonne of bricks after being in the back of my mind for a while.
“I couldn’t believe it on the day when a rainbow appeared across the sky while we were at the cemetery.
Loved ones gathered to pay tribute a year after the death of three-year-old Layla
“It was like a wee sign.”
The original plan was for those who gathered at the cemetery to release lanterns but, sadly, the poor weather conditions did not allow this, so Louise had to settle for lighting one at home for her little girl.
It was thought Layla had a viral infection when she first fell ill in March 2017, but the family soon had to face the horrific news she had neuroblastoma.
Stage four neuroblastoma, which affected Layla’s kidney, liver, brain and back, is found in fewer than 100 children in the UK each year.
The tot went through gruelling chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, which was followed by radiotherapy.
Layla with musician Emily Middlemass
Family, friends and the Renfrew community got behind a JustGiving page throughout Layla’s battle and raised around £2,000 for her.
READ MORE: Layla facing new battle to defeat rare cancer
People were able to track Layla’s medical journey through the Light for Layla Facebook page, which has remained active since her death as a place for Louise to share memorial events and for people to pay tribute as often as they wish.
Louise, who is also mum to Layla’s siblings Matthew, 13, and Robert, 11, added: “We want to do some sort of tribute every year for Layla.”
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