A Somerset teenager who survived emergency brain surgery as a baby has released her first original single in aid of brain tumour research to support patients just like her.
Highbridge schoolgirl Lyra Cole, 13, underwent an 11-hour operation at five months old to remove a brain tumour "the size of an orange", but now has her sights set on a career in music.
Her upbeat summer track, Real Good Time, is raising money for Brain Tumour Research, the national charity dedicated to finding a cure for all types of brain tumours.
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Already some big names in the industry have voices their support of Lyra's campaign, including producer Pete Waterman, who's worked with stars including Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, and Steps.
Pete said: "I wish Lyra every success with her single. She’s clearly a confident and determined young talent, and I’ve no doubt she has a promising future.
He added: "What a lot of people don’t realise is that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. I lost my son Paul at just 33, and I don’t want any other parents to go through that.
"Lyra’s story is one of hope. I urge everyone to download the single for 99p so we can fund more research and give hope to more families."
Lyra said: "I’m so excited to release Real Good Time. Singing and dancing are my life and I just want to make other people feel happy.
"The single has got loads of nice comments and more than 100,000 views in the first three days. It would be a dream to see people doing the dance on TikTok!"
Lyra’s tumour – a low-grade choroid plexus papilloma, most commonly found in children before their first birthday – was initially misdiagnosed as a virus. Her symptoms included a loss of appetite and vomiting, and it was only after further investigation that doctors discovered the mass on her brain.
Within months of the operation, Lyra was struggling to see and underwent a second procedure a year later to restore her sight.
Lyra explained: "I don’t remember having a brain tumour; I was just a baby. But I know how much it upset my parents and my family, and I know other children aren’t as lucky as me.
"So I want to raise as much money as possible with this song."
Her mum, Ellie Hawkes, 35, said: "When Lyra, my little cub, was diagnosed, our world stopped. There were moments when all I hoped and prayed for was that she'd grow up healthy and happy.
"Watching Lyra follow her dreams reminds me every day that miracles don't always happen all at once. Sometimes they grow up, find their voice, and share it with the world. I couldn't be prouder.
Ellie added: "The doctors – Mr Carter, Dr McCann and the rest of the team – gave our little girl a future and every dream she is chasing is only possible because of the care, skill and compassion they showed all those years ago."
A decade on from her diagnosis, a final scan showed no sign of the disease. In 2013, she was reunited with Dr Kate McCann and paediatric neurosurgeon Mr Michael Carter, whose both were instrumental in her health journey.
Lyra released her first charity single aged six, when her cover of Cliff Richard’s When A Child is Born climbed the download charts, and raised thousands of pounds for research.
Her latest single has been written and shaped by her aunt, film producer Jessie Hawkes, who penned the lyrics and directed the video.
Jessie said: "We always say that Lyra is our miracle. She inspires me every day."
"I think that's why I put so much effort into her life because I realise how easily it could have been taken away."
Jessie added: "She was really tiny when they found a mass on her brain. I remember feeling sick to my stomach when Ellie called, sobbing down the phone, after the doctors told her Lyra might not survive the operation, she might not wake up.
"And we all had to go down to intensive care to see her for what might have been the last time.
"Incredibly, Lyra came out the other side of this. That’s why we are doing the single – to celebrate who Lyra is and help her follow her dreams but also to help those other families facing this awful disease."
Funds from Real Good Time will support work at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Plymouth, one of Europe’s leading institutes for low-grade brain tumour research.
Dan Knowles, CEO of Brain Tumour Research, said: "We've loved following Lyra's journey and she continues to inspire us with her passion to make a difference for people diagnosed with brain tumours, now and in the future."
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