With crushing candor, filmmaker Charlotte Carroll documented her struggle to conceive in her film The Topic.
But although Charlotte feared she would never become a mother, in April 2021 she gave birth to a girl, Aurelia – her first child with former Made In Chelsea star Diego Bivero-Volpe.
Sadly, the couple had been quietly fighting for the past year to save Aurelia’s life after she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer.
They managed to raise more than € 200,000 in donations. I am saddened to reveal that Aurelia passed away earlier this month.
“Our little girl passed away in peace surrounded by loved ones and in the loving embrace of her mom and me,” Diego said on their GoFundMe page.
“In true Aurelia fashion, she left us not with a cry, but with a big, beautiful smile, fearlessly pushing on to her next adventure.”
Sadly, couple Charlotte Carroll and Diego Bivero-Volpe had been quietly fighting for the past year to save daughter Aurelia’s life after she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer.
The couple managed to raise over £200,000 in donations. I am saddened to reveal that Aurelia passed away earlier this month
Little Aurelia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-cell) in September 2022 and was treated with intensive chemotherapy – to which she initially appeared to be responding well.
But just days after her second birthday, her heartbroken family was told that her cancer had spread to her central nervous system.
The toddler suffered severe neurological consequences that meant she couldn’t talk, walk, chew or even smile as she underwent an urgent series of spinal chemotherapies and a bone marrow transplant, her parents told GoFundMe.
They said, ‘As you can imagine, this has been the hardest time for her.
“However, we are putting all our energy, love and positive vibes towards her healing and providing her with all the normalcy, comfort and joy we can.
“Meanwhile, every hour is precious to Aurelia and we would now like to appeal to everyone who wants to support her during this time.”
They added, “We can’t wait to share her beautiful smile with you when this is all over.”
But tragically, Aurelia passed away just weeks later in her parents’ arms.
Charlotte – who appeared alongside Bradley Cooper in Burnt – has spoken out boldly in the past about having an ectopic pregnancy before in 2019
Pictured: Charlotte Carroll at the 76th EE British Academy Film Awards, February 2023
They held a memorial to celebrate her life on Aug. 17, where the touching dress code instructed friends and family to wear “a touch of glitter.”
Before her death, over a thousand sympathizers had raised £202,247 for the little girl. They say any amount not used will be donated to Great Ormand Street.
Charlotte and Diego added in an update to the GoFundMe, “As we support her on that next journey, wherever it may be, her light continues to guide us through ours, shining brightly with her signature joy and love.
“Aurelia will always be the warrior Charlotte and I admire most. Everyone who met her was in constant awe of her resilience, intelligence, beauty and cheerfulness, even in the most difficult of times.
“Thanks in no small part to your incredible support, we were able to fight alongside her to give her the best possible time and comfort.
“Our gratitude and admiration for the contributions we make here are boundless. Without them, the armies of doctors, nurses, healers, therapists, specialists and researchers who provided her care would not have been possible.”
Charlotte – who appeared alongside Bradley Cooper in Burnt – has spoken out boldly in the past about having previously had an ectopic pregnancy in 2019.
This meant that she had to have the embryo and the fallopian tube it was implanted in removed through a laparoscopy.
She has also opened up about discovering she had endometriosis at age 25, which doubles her risk of an ectopic pregnancy.
A condition in which cells similar to those found in the uterine lining are found elsewhere in the body. The tissue swells and bleeds every month, just like the uterine lining, but the blood has nowhere to go.
These cells can grow anywhere, including in the pelvis, around the bladder, and even in the lungs, causing severe pain.
An ectopic pregnancy is never viable and can be fatal for a woman, as the fallopian tube can rupture as the developing baby grows, causing dramatic blood loss.
But she got pregnant with Aurelia despite only having one fallopian tube, which may reduce the chances of pregnancy.
Speaking to the Mail in 2021, she confessed that both babies were a surprise.
She added: ‘I couldn’t relax until I had an early pregnancy scan and it was confirmed that it was in the right place.
“I want to inspire hope in other women struggling with endometriosis who will see that a successful pregnancy is possible.”