An eight year old girl was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after her condition, initially thought to be Covid, rapidly deteriorated. Monique Fuller became pale and experienced blurred vision, prompting an urgent hospital visit where she underwent a series of tests.
These led to the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in November.
Her mother, Chantelle Quinn, shared her heartbreak: “I felt horrible. I lost it and broke down. I couldn’t accept it and I still have trouble accepting it… I wish I could take it from her. She’s my baby.”
ALL is a cancer that targets the blood and bone marrow, marked by an excess of immature white blood cells known as leukaemic blasts. These cells can overflow into the bloodstream and spread to organs like the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and central nervous system.
Monique had tested positive for Covid three weeks prior to her hospitalisation. Her symptoms worsened, culminating in vision problems the day before she was admitted to Westmead Children’s Hospital in Western Sydney, reports the Mirror.
She became one of approximately 300 individuals diagnosed with ALL in Australia last year. Monique has already undergone chemotherapy and is bracing for more intensive treatment.
“It’s just horrible seeing how she is now compared to before. She was happy and bubbly and now she’s having breakdowns every day while trying to understand why this happened to her,” Chantelle told Mail Online.
Chantelle expressed concerns about the upcoming hospital visits: “We’ve now hit the intense bit where we have to come to the hospital for five days at a time and this chemo is going to make her very sick. She’s basically going to be doing two chemo sessions a day for a month and I’m worried to see how she’s going to take it.”
Chantelle is facing a tough time not only caring for her daughter but also her younger son Eli, and a fundraising page has been set up to support the family. To contribute to the appeal, click this link.
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