IMPISHLY posing for the camera, little Makayla Worrall’s smile belies a battle no four-year-old should face.<\/p>\n
Severe abdominal pain five months ago turned out to be ovarian cancer, which very rarely presents in children.<\/p>\n
Her stomach blew up like a pregnant belly, measuring 68cm around the girth, and she was constantly curled up on the floor in tears.<\/p>\n
“Doctors in Warragul thought she had a serious bowel condition, but when she finally had an ultrasound that’s when they found the tumour,” said mother Jacquie Dunker, 26.<\/p>\n
“Her stomach was like a woman who was nine months pregnant.<\/p>\n
“She’d end up in tears, she was in a lot of pain.”<\/p>\n
In the 25 years to 2007, Cancer Council figures show only six other recorded cases of ovarian cancer in the four and under age group.<\/p>\n
She was transferred from Warragul to Monash Children’s, where months of chemotherapy was needed to reduce the tumour before it was removed in November.<\/p>\n
Despite being stuck in hospital at Christmas, it’s hard to wipe the smile off her face now.<\/p>\n
The courageous toddler is one of the hospital’s most popular patients. Staff say her future is bright.<\/p>\n
And despite having one ovary removed, they have not ruled out her being able to have children.<\/p>\n
“We are very proud of her,” Ms Dunker said.<\/p>\n
“She is not like a four-year-old anymore, she’s had to grow up a lot and she’s not that innocent little girl.<\/p>\n
“But once she got on top of everything she’s been happy. She’s an inspiration.”<\/p>\n
Ms Dunker and her partner Josh Worrall are hoping Makayla will be home by New Year’s Eve to share a belated Christmas dinner with her brother Brandon, 8, and sister Abbey, 1.<\/p>\n
Monash clinical nurse specialist Leanne Czerniecki said others could learn from the courageous toddler.<\/p>\n
“The most inspirational moment was the first time she stuck out her finger for a blood test,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I want to show her to adults and say, look what she’s dealing with, stop your whingeing!<\/p>\n
“Children just take it onboard and deal with it.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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