A three-year-old girl from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, is the only person in the world diagnosed with an extremely rare combination of medical conditions. Harleigh Tidd’s life has been a series of medical challenges since her mother, Stacie Hammond, underwent a routine ultrasound at 36 weeks of pregnancy, where doctors discovered significant abnormalities near Harleigh’s heart.
During the scan, medical professionals noticed a “dark patch” indicating that Harleigh’s lungs had collapsed and were filled with fluid. This condition shifted her heart across her chest. Delivered via an emergency caesarean section just days later, Harleigh’s survival was deemed miraculous, with only a 13% chance of making it through her first days. Sadly, her journey was only beginning.
Shortly after returning home, Harleigh fell ill again as her lung collapsed once more, mirroring the troubling conditions identified in utero. Since that time, she has undergone 38 surgeries and countless procedures, with her condition evolving into a rare combination of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, chylothorax, and skeletal dysplasia. These conditions cause her lymphatic system to leak a fluid known as chyle into her lungs uncontrollably.
Doctors have informed Stacie and Harleigh’s father, Stephen Tidd, that there are no further treatment options available. Harleigh has recently been fitted with her final chest drain, which medical experts estimate will remain effective for only a few more weeks. Once it fails, Harleigh is expected to have just days to live.
Stacie, who is Harleigh’s full-time caregiver, expressed the unimaginable difficulty of their situation. “When Harleigh was born, she was classed as a miracle baby because she survived. But we quickly noticed her developing rashes and becoming ill,” Stacie recounted. “It turned out that her lungs had collapsed and filled with fluid, and every time they were drained, they would fill again. This year we found out it was getting more aggressive.”
In August 2022, Stacie and Stephen attended an ultrasound appointment with growing concern as hospital staff responded quickly to the alarming scan results. An emergency caesarean section was performed shortly after the scan, leading to Harleigh’s difficult entry into the world. Despite her precarious health, she seemed to do well in the initial weeks following her birth.
However, things took a turn when Harleigh stopped eating and showed signs of distress, prompting a visit to the emergency room. There, doctors discovered her lungs were once again filled with fluid. Over the next two years, Harleigh frequently visited the hospital, including a remarkable continuous stay of eight-and-a-half months.
During her time in medical care, doctors performed extensive tests to determine the source of the fluid and the reasons behind the recurring lung collapses. After a discharge in August 2024, Harleigh fell ill again, requiring emergency surgery when fluid leaked into her chest cavity and heart. The medical team ultimately identified the fluid as chyle leaking from her lymphatic system.
In September 2024, Stacie and Stephen received the devastating news that Harleigh’s condition had worsened and was now affecting her bowel, stomach, and spleen. “There was no cure and nothing that could be done,” Stacie explained. “This was the moment we realized our beautiful baby girl was going to die—our lives were totally shattered.”
As the family grapples with this heartbreaking reality, they are now receiving palliative care support and have implemented a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for Harleigh. Despite their overwhelming grief, Stacie and Stephen are determined to create lasting memories for their daughter. They are currently raising funds to fulfill Harleigh’s dream of visiting Disneyland.
“We want her to be able to go away and have an amazing time, with memories that will last a lifetime,” Stacie said. “We call her our little warrior princess—this disease has taken over her whole body, but she has never stopped smiling.”
The family hopes to raise awareness about Harleigh’s rare condition in hopes that one day doctors may uncover the cause of her illness. They plan to donate her organs following her passing to aid in future medical research, ensuring that Harleigh’s legacy contributes to medical progress.
