Our Warrior Girl Kallie's Battle with Cancer

I want to introduce you to the daughter of a much loved friend, a young lady who has endured an unimaginable journey through life so far.

Kallie has recently turned 14 years young, a beautiful, outgoing, cheeky, vibrant girl, with a heart as big as a mountain and the personality to match. To know Kallie is to love her, to know her and her beautiful loving family is a privilege.

In March 2013, a month shy of her 6th birthday, Kallie was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia T Cell, a rare form of T Cell which is usually only seen in older males. Over the following years Kallie underwent numerous surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment (as a preventative for any other cancer), having numerous battles along the way with Pneumonia and lung disease. During this time Kallie’s family had many other ongoing stress factors, some of which included having a 3-month-old baby to care for, and a son with Autism.

After 2 and a half years of treatment, a Make-a-Wish experience and remission, Kallie and her family and friends waited another 5 years and to hear the word CURED.

Kallie was declared cured in June 2020 and was due to undergo a MRI soon after but due to Covid the MRI was pushed back.

Kallie eventually had her MRI in March this year (2021) and to our disbelief a tumour was found on her Parietal Lobe, which is situated close to her motor strip (which controls right body movement).

At this time Kallie and her family were told not to worry and a consultation would to be held with other specialists/doctors.

An anxious and overwhelming stressful few weeks of waiting lay ahead.

In April 2021, just before Kallie’s 14th birthday, Kallie underwent a second MRI only to discover the tumour had grown rapidly in size and was extremely aggressive, not the news any family would want to hear, not the news Kallie nor her family were expecting to receive.

Devastatingly Kallie was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform and was to undergo a biopsy. The biopsy was performed 2 weeks later. Kallie’s family were then given the heart-breaking news that the tumour was aggressive and inoperable.

Kallie’s family were told it could be Genetic cause (caused by a change, or mutation, in Kallie’s DNA sequence). A blood sample was taken and sent to Sydney for testing. Kallie’s type of tumour is so rare the doctors have no protocols to follow regarding successful treatment options as they have not seen a case similar to Kallie’s in over 20 years, with that case being a different tumour.

Kallie’s Specialists consulted with doctors and specialists worldwide, with the only recommendation being 30 adult sessions of radiation treatment aimed specifically at the tumour and a course of Chemotherapy tablets, in the hope the tumour would shrink so as a trial drug can be sourced in the hope of a cure, or longevity at the very least.

Over this time Kallie’s mobility on her right side has suffered and she now must use an aid to assist her, and she is also suffering seizures. She requires someone to be with her all of the time.

The results of the blood tests have returned and the Genetic cause has been ruled out. This has once again shocked the doctors. Instead, it has been found the small doses of radiation Kallie endured during her treatment for Leukaemia years earlier is the cause of this growing monster.

Kallie has recently endured the recommended 30 doses of radiation treatment and Chemo. Two weeks after her final dose of radiation Kallie has had another MRI in the hope the radiation has done what we all had prayed for, that the tumour had shrunk enough for the trial to go ahead.

The expected outcome wasn’t to be, instead we have been dealt with another devastating blow, the worst yet, being told the news we didn’t ever want to hear. The tumour has doubled in size and the course of radiation she had been on was to no avail, it didn’t do what her treating team, or her family and friends, had hoped for.

We want to provide our Warrior girl with some lasting memories and happiness, for both Kallie and her family, in the time she has left.

Kallie has a sibling due in February and a Guy Sebastian (her idol) concert to get to in November.

We must fit as much happiness and memorable times into Kallie’s life now, we don’t know how many more tomorrows we have with her.

Kallie has just started to make her way in the world after years of treatment, and we want to make each day, each hour, each moment count. She deserves to not have to live the rest of her life in fear. She has been through more in her short 14 years than anyone goes through in a lifetime. We want her to be able to go places and make memories together with, and as her family.

We want to give our Warrior girl some quality of and in life , before she becomes too unwell to enjoy it.

We are all just utterly beyond devastated and its unfathomable anyone has to go through this once, never lone twice, in just 14 short years. It is affecting all of us in every way possible, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and financially.

This time our luck is quickly running out, we’re on borrowed time.

All funds raised towards making Kallie’s time with us as special as she deserves will be greatly appreciated by all of us who love this Warrior girl.

We don’t have forever, we only have now.