She spent much of her early childhood in and out of hospital
Ella Pickover, PA and Matt Lee Senior Multimedia Journalist
09:55, 19 Feb 2026
Sophia Chant, 11, (C) with her family at the beach(Image: Nina Chant/PA Wire)
An Essex girl spent much of her early childhood in and out of hospital after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. Sophia Chant, 11, is among the first to sign up for a “life-changing” trial of new rehabilitation care.
Sophia was just five months old when she was diagnosed with a build-up of fluid on the brain, also known as hydrocephalus. She was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) for further treatment and investigations, which identified that she had a brain tumour.
The youngster, from Leigh-on-Sea, spent much of the early stages of her childhood in and out of hospital for treatments, including chemotherapy to shrink the tumour. She also had several operations and follow-up appointments.
In 2017, she went into remission and has regular check-ups at the hospital. She is now one of 36 children taking part in a study evaluating a new rehab programme.
Sophia’s mum, Nina Chant, said: “Having the opportunity to be part of this study has been life-changing. It’s given us a way forward as a family. It’s helped Sophia understand her brain fatigue and problems with her memory, and her different feelings and emotions. It’s given us all some good techniques for how to deal with these and also apply them in different situations, such as at home and at school.”
The 41-year-old added: “The team was so kind and supportive, and we were able to join the sessions online and in-person, too. The study really took into consideration the whole family. We’re so grateful for the care Sophia has had at Gosh both during and after her brain tumour treatment.”
Experts at Gosh noticed a gap in care after children receive treatment for brain cancer. Medics from the world-renowned facility said that there are no tested cognitive rehabilitation programmes for children after a brain tumour in the NHS.
Survivors can suffer from a range of challenges, including issues with memory, attention and cognitive fatigue. A new cognitive rehabilitation programme was developed by experts to help children and their families struggling with these challenges after their medical treatment. It is now being trialled among a small number of children, including Sophia.
The study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the new cognitive rehabilitation programme among seven to 17-year-olds. Children involved in the study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and Success Charity – Life After Cure, will be given cognitive rehabilitation with cognitive fatigue management, or cognitive rehabilitation alone, or usual healthcare.
The findings will inform a larger UK-wide trial and pave the way for national cognitive rehabilitation services for children and young people who have had a brain tumour.
Dr Charlotte Malcolm, chief investigator and principal clinical neuropsychologist at Gosh, said: “This is the first trial of its kind to explore cognitive rehabilitation tailored for children and young people following treatment for brain tumours in the UK. We hope the programme will empower young people and their families with tools to better manage the cognitive challenges they face after treatment and to improve their quality of life.
“National guidelines recommend cognitive rehabilitation, yet access remains limited due to a lack of research and funding, and practical barriers. We hope this trial will address this gap and lead to improved post-treatment care.”