Published: Thursday, 4th February, 2010 9:12am

Family's joy as doctors give six-year-old the all-clear

by Siew Peng Lee

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A BRAVE Dunfermline schoolgirl who ended 2009 on an 'Up' has started 2010 on the biggest high of her life: beating epilepsy.

Millie MacKenzie (6), of Bergen Avenue, endured eight brain operations last year to cure the daily epileptic seizures that had plagued her life, most recently in June to insert a shunt in her brain.

But now the Calaiswood School pupil - who had suffered up to 20 seizures a day - has been given the all-clear by her neurosurgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

It's the latest high point for Millie, who in November won Cineworld's 'Up' online competition for a family trip to Disneyland Paris.

Her ecstatic mum, Kelly, (39) said, "We were in London last week for her check-up and the news has been absolutely fantastic.

"The EEG (electroencephalogram) was the one test we were most concerned about but there was no trace of epilepsy activity at all.

"She's not had seizures since the operation but we didn't know what was going on inside.

"It's the first time in her life she's had a clear EEG.

"The EEG we did before the surgery was just totally abnormal.

"The doctor said he expects things to keep going upwards and he doesn't see her having any problems with epilepsy or seizures again."

Prior to surgery, Millie had only been given a 30 per cent chance of ever being seizure-free but Kelly said it was "upwards and onwards from here".

She continued, "Because Millie spent so much time in surgery it's only in the last six months that she's had a chance to blossom.

"If her development keeps going the way it's going, we're going to see a real difference in her.

"She's relatively young and the window of opportunity has not entirely passed her by and we've given her the best chance.

"We had to take the 30 per cent chance or watch her suffer - and it's been so, so worth it."

Kelly praised especially Dr William Harkness, the consultant paediatric neurosurgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

She said, "He's fixed her.

"Millie's such a happy, chatty girl now. None of us ever thought we'd get to this day when she was completely seizure-free and medication-free.

"We just owe him so much. How do you thank someone who's changed your child's life?"

As a thank-you, Millie will be the face of Scotland for the hospital's 'HAIRraising Appeal', which aims to raise £1 million towards new operating theatres.

The appeal asks hairdressing salons to raise money by organising fund-raising events and adding a £1 donation to their bill and participating Scottish salons will feature Millie's picture and story on their posters.

Kelly said, "You can't say no to something like that. It's the only way we can thank them.

"If there's anything we can do we'll absolutely do it.

"I want to tell the world what Great Ormond Street has done!"

The magic continues for Millie in April, when she goes to Disneyland with Kelly, dad Mark (37) and big sister Robyn (19).

Kelly added, "We leave on April 19th, the day before Millie's birthday.

"She's getting her birthday cake with Winnie-the-Pooh and we're looking forward to seeing her face - she loves Winnie-the-Pooh.

"Her last birthday was in the hospital and it's the first family holiday we'll have without having to worry about her seizures so it's a wonderful way to celebrate."