By Bronwyn Hastings

Nhill’s Ava Stephens has seen more extreme ups and downs than most people.

Ava, 4, and her family have dealt with the devastation of a kidney cancer diagnosis, but also the joy of being able to ring the end-of-treatment bell at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.

Ava’s diagnosis required the removal of a kidney and 22 lymph nodes, and 23 rounds of chemotherapy. 

Her mother, Chloe Stephens, said it was her ‘gut feel’ that led to Ava’s diagnosis.

“In May last year, when Ava was three, we took her to the emergency department after discovering one side of her stomach was completely hard and the other soft and normal,” she said.

“Everyone was saying constipation, but we knew it was something more. After pushing for an ultrasound, it came back that Ava had a huge mass growing on her left kidney.”

Ava spent the night at Horsham hospital before being flown to Royal Children’s Hospital, where tests found a form of kidney cancer – Wilms tumour – which is most common in children under five years of age.  

“Ava had multiple tumours growing on her kidney, with the main one taking up the majority of her stomach,” Ms Stephens said.

“She completed four rounds of chemotherapy to shrink the tumours before having surgery to remove her entire left kidney, as well as the 22 enlarged lymph nodes.

“Further tests showed the cancer had not spread to her diaphragm.”

On January 25 this year, Ava rang the end-of-treatment bell. 

She had scans mid-February, which showed she was in remission.

“The nightmare was finally over and life could go back to some form of normality,” Ms Stephens said.

After six months’ remission, last month, Ava’s second round of three-monthly scans showed an anomaly.

“I asked about relapse before we headed home and we were told not to worry about it, it would be extremely rare,” Ms Stephens said.

“But further testing showed another massive tumour growing in her little body, except this time in her chest, as well as a little nodule attached to her right lung.”

A biopsy confirmed Ava had relapsed and Wilms tumour returned.

“This time around we are looking at six to eight months’ treatment,” Ms Stephens said.

The family has once again had to relocate to charity-subsidised accommodation in Melbourne, with Ava having to be hospitalised for the majority of her treatments and unable to be too far from hospital. 

Ava was removed from four-year-old kindergarten, as she was from her three-year-old program last year.

“She was meant to be going to school next year, she’s been so excited, but she’ll probably have to repeat four-year-old kinder,” Ms Stephens said.

Ava will receive radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy this time. 

“Because of how aggressive these treatments are, Ava had to undergo fertility treatment surgery, as she is now at an 80 to 100 per cent risk of infertility,” Ms Stephens said.
“They have taken out one of her ovaries to preserve in the hopes that one day she will still be able to have children. 

“We are so grateful for that because she’s already told me she wants four babies, so hopefully she can still have her four babies.”

Ava will also have her bone marrow harvested every few weeks so it can be given back to her for nutrients.

“Our oncologist has told us this time around will be much harder on Ava’s little body, and that she will get extremely sick and be even more immunocompromised than previously – any germ she picks up could turn into sepsis,” Ms Stephens said.

“We have to keep her isolated.”

However, there is opportunity for Ava and her family to visit popular attractions in Melbourne – children’s cancer charity Challenge enables visits to zoos and museums after hours, when contact with others is minimised. 

“I think they’re even doing a boat ride with a disco for the kids over the holidays too, so we will definitely make the most of that,” Ms Stephens said.

Residents of Nhill are rallying, organising fundraisers to support the family and providing emotional support.

“I know our kindergarten is doing a fundraiser this time and there’s talk of others – it’s incredible, honestly, the overwhelming amounts of support we’ve been given both this time and last from our close-knit town, not just financial support, but people are constantly checking in with us,” Ms Stephens said.

“It’s just mind-blowing. We are so grateful – there are no words, really.”

The family has also started a
GoFundMe campaign, to assist with daily costs.

“The financial strain is hard and the bills for groceries, petrol, parking and medications don’t stop just because you have a sick child,” Ms Stephens said.

Ms Stephens also wants to raise awareness of childhood cancer.

“Obviously, it can happen to anyone,” she said.

Children’s Cancer Institute has declared the month of September ‘Childhood Cancer Awareness’ month, continuing its work raising awareness and money for childhood cancer research.

Since the 1960s, when few children survived cancer, research has improved the odds and now more than 80 per cent of children survive a cancer diagnosis.

“You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does – it’s just heartbreaking,” Ms Stephens said. 

“Cancer is the last thing you think you’re ever going to be told when you go to get results at an appointment. 

“And now we’ve had to be told it twice. 

“I’m just grateful that it’s been found early, and we are where we are, and we’re getting help.”

People can donate to Ava’s GoFundMe campaign by searching for Chloe Stephens at www.gofundme.com. 

The entire September 11, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!