Lilya was on a dream trip to France with her mum when she became unwell with what doctors thought was the ‘common flu’. Hours later, the young girl was fighting for life

An Aussie family has made a heartbreaking discovery after their five-year-old daughter struggled to open Christmas presents while on holiday in France.

Lilya, along with her mum Tahnya Douglas and her dad, travelled to France in December to visit her unwell grandmother.  

Ms Douglas was opening up presents on Christmas Day when she noticed Lilya was extremely lethargic and had no energy to open her gifts. 

The concerned mum quickly took her daughter to a doctor who told her that Lilya was suffering from a common flu and needed to stay hydrated. 

After several hours, Lilya was unable to eat or drink and began to vomit. Her dad spoke to multiple doctors on the phone who said her condition was ‘probably gastro’. 

‘As a mother I knew something was wrong and I said we needed to go to the emergency,’ Ms Douglas said. 

When they arrived at the hospital, doctors realised Lilya was going into septic shock and sedated her.

They rushed her to another hospital where she was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit. Ms Douglas was told her daughter had heart and liver failure, and that her blood count was so low she was ‘lucky to be alive’. 

Five-year-old Lilya was diagnosed with B-cell acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia after her mum noticed she was unable to open her Christmas presents while on holiday in France (stock image)

Lilya was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) – a fast-growing and aggressive cancer that affects bone marrow and blood.

Lilya stayed in the induced coma for almost two weeks. During that time she four blood and platelet transfusions, and was heavily medicated. 

The young girl has since been taken out of the coma and has undergone two vitrectomies to remove the build up of blood which was causing visual loss in both her eyes. 

Ms Douglas’ friend Daisy Morgan started a GoFundMe to help bring Lilya back home to Australia so that she could start her chemotherapy. 

Ms Morgan explained Lilya’s aplastic anemia – bone marrow failure where the body does not produce enough blood cells – was so severe at one point she was unable to leave her room. 

She told Daily Mail Australia her blood count had improved enough for doctors to give her medical clearance to fly home to Perth. 

‘There will be an ambulance waiting for Lilya at the airport so that once she lands she can be transferred straight to the Children’s Hospital,’ Ms Morgan said.  

‘We just want to get her home safely… they’re doing it day by day. Tahnya has no idea what comes tomorrow. 

‘There’s going to be a lot that she needs to deal with once they’re back and looking at the longer term picture. But at the moment, it’s just been trying to get her home.’

Fighting back tears, Ms Morgan said Lilya was meant to start school this year along with her daughter, who is Lilya’s best friend. 

 Lilya spent almost two weeks in an induced coma as doctors treated her heart and liver failure. A GoFundMe was started to help bring Lilya on her long road to recovery in Australia

‘It’s just so awful, Lilya is such a sweet and caring little girl and now she is so vulnerable. She didn’t deserve any of this,’ Ms Morgan said. 

‘Tahnya is the most selfless and caring person and wonderful mum. She’s literally just in survival and protective mode.’

Ms Morgan explained Tahnya was able to organise the French-equivalent of Medicare to cover the costs of Lilya’s treatment in France. 

However, she added Tahnya will not be working when she returns to Australia as she will be caring for Lilya through her chemotherapy. 

‘She really has little support and very little means to financially get Lilya and herself through this,’ Ms Morgan said. 

‘It’s just such a shock. No one prepares for this. It could be anyone. Could be my daughter, your daughter could be anyone’s daughter.

‘Just from a financial point of view, we just want to get them back safely and help support them along Lilya’s long road to recovery.’

Ms Morgan said Tahnya and Lilya were expected to travel back to Australia on Wednesday. 

Lilya will be immediately taken to the Children’s Hospital where she will meet the oncology team and begin chemotherapy as soon as possible. 

‘This family is in need of the help and kindness of Aussies so that they can get through this incredibly tough time,’ Ms Morgan said.  

‘Please from the bottom of your heart, help Lilya and her family get through this awful time. 

‘There’s a tremendous road to recover ahead and all your ongoing support by caring, sharing or donating will help this sweet little girl and her mum.’ 

At the time of writing, the GoFundMe had raised $16,518 and has the goal of raising $30,000. 

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