A few weeks ago, 11-year-old Sophie received her new glasses, which she picked especially because red is her favourite colour.
“Since she got them, her eyesight has improved so much! She can now colour inside the lines, she’s started to read certain words, and she’s getting better at using the computer at school – her teachers have even commented on how well she’s doing,” Becky shared.
“It’s been amazing to see especially after it took multiple eye surgeries to get here. Thank you Rare Cancers Australia for helping us to get Sophie’s new glasses and for all your support over the years!”
Sophie was diagnosed with a Pineal Anlage Tumoura tissue mass that forms from groups of unhealthy cells in her brain when she was two years old. At the time of diagnosisthe process of identifying a disease based on signs and symptoms, patient history and medical test results, she was the seventh person in the world identified with this condition and her family were told she would not survive.
But they did not give up.
Sophie has endured intensive chemotherapya cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells, while minimising damage to healthy cells, numerous emergency surgeries and a range of complications and side effects in her young life, including multiple blockages, juvenile arthritis and significant pain issues which resulted in her having to learn to sit, stand, walk, talk and play again.
For the past five years RCA has been supporting Sophie and her family to access treatment, disability aids, speech and physiotherapytherapy used to develop, maintain and restore physical function and movement sessions and more.
Today, Sophie continues to go from strength-to-strength with a great big smile on her face and a loving family behind her.