A family’s life was turned upside down after their young daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
Rob and Jacqui Oakley from Tasmania had to pack up all their belongings and relocate to Melbourne so their daughter could be treated at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.
Two-year-old Eleanor was a happy and active child, but one day her parents noticed that she had stopped working and had a lump on her cheek.
Two-year-old Eleanor was a happy and active child, but one day her parents noticed that she had stopped working and had a lump on her cheek
On January 12, doctors conducted further testing which revealed Eleanor diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, neuroblastoma
Rob and Jacqui Oakley from Tasmania had to pack up all their belongings and relocate to Melbourne so their daughter could be treated at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital
She was taken to Royal Hobart Hospital and doctors diagnosed her with a virus, but it did not end there.
They were in and out of the emergency room about four times in a week until doctors eventually ran a test and discovered Eleanor had a low red blood cell count.
On January 12, doctors conducted further testing which revealed Eleanor diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, neuroblastoma.
Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour of childhood occurring most commonly between the ages of 0-5 years.
It is a solid tumour arising from particular nerve cells which run in a chain-like fashion up the child’s abdomen and chest and into the skull following the line of the spinal cord.
Two-year-old Eleanor (pictured) diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, neuroblastoma
‘She had another tumour on her skull, so in the nose area, she had cancer in her bone marrow, a couple of spots in her spine and lymph nodes surrounding the right kidney area,’ Mr Oakley said
Doctors found a tumour almost a third of the length of her body, measure 21 centimetres by 12.5 centimetres
Doctors found a tumour almost a third of the length of her body, measure 21 centimetres by 12.5 centimetres.
‘She had another tumour on her skull, so in the nose area, she had cancer in her bone marrow, a couple of spots in her spine and lymph nodes surrounding the right kidney area,’ Mr Oakley told Seven News.
Eleanor has since undergone five rounds of chemotherapy which puts her at risk of infection, erratic behaviour and severe nausea.
Treatment also been extended to 18 months, from the initial nine months, with hopes treatment would be completed by April 2019.
Eleanor has since undergone five rounds of chemotherapy which puts her at risk of infection, erratic behaviour and severe nausea
During her extensive treatment, Eleanor ‘almost died in intensive care’ due to serious lung complications
During her extensive treatment, Eleanor ‘almost died in intensive care’ due to serious lung complications and her parents and doctors were unsure of if she would survive.
She eventually recovered but her lungs relapsed again causing her to spend her second birthday in intensive care.
‘She doesn’t really understand what’s happening,’ Mr Oakley said.
‘She’s now a bit over two, but we’ve been in the system for nine months, so as far as her memory would go, she wouldn’t really know any other way other than hospital life.
A GoFundMe campaign is available for anyone who would like to support the family.