A four-year-old girl living with cancer has been given a surprise reunion with her dad after spending almost two months apart due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Mila Sneddon, from Falkirk, has leukaemia and is going through chemotherapy which means she has a weakened immune system.
Her dad Scott, 50, had to keep working despite the pandemic and made the decision to move out of the family home to protect his daughter from the virus.
Since then the two have been speaking through the kitchen window, even giving one another air-hugs.
However, Scott was told to stop working for his employer as he was placed on the government furlough scheme.
That allowed him to go into a period of isolation, and on Wednesday he was given the all-clear to move back home.
Scott decided to surprise his daughter who thought her dad was just coming to the garden for a catch-up as normal.
In footage of the special moment, Scott tells Mila as he stands outside the house: “I’m going to come home today.”
With a huge smile and excitement, she replies: “Today?”
“Right now,” her dad tells her.
As soon as Scott walks through the door, Mila’s face lights up and the pair share a tearful, long-awaited hug.
Without her dad, it’s been down to Mila’s mum Lynda to take her for each session of chemotherapy.
During lockdown, Lynda lost her grandmother who tested positive for coronavirus.
‘We continue to push through, it’s not easy for anybody but Mila is really resilient and inspires us everyday.’
Lynda Sneddon
She said it had been a tough time for the family and this moment of sheer joy had been a long time coming.
Lynda, 36, said: “It’s been difficult – it’s been challenging.
“We continue to push through, it’s not easy for anybody but Mila is really resilient and inspires us everyday.”
‘Thank you everybody for staying at home.’
Mila Sneddon
When lockdown began, Mila’s big message was for everybody to stay indoors to slow the virus and help her get her dad back sooner.
She had support from Ant and Dec, who sent a video urging people to stay inside and to do it for Mila.
The famous duo have since invited her and her family to be in the audience for one of their ITV shows when life returns to normal.
After the family reunion, Mila said: “Thank you everybody for staying at home.”
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