‘There’s another daughter growing inside my daughter’: Raya Pyke battles horrific cancer

Little Raya Pyke hadn’t even celebrated her second birthday before she was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.

Raya Pyke (R) with (L-R) dad Matthew, older sister Eve, and mum Abbe Pyke. Raya is battling a rare stage four childhood cancer. Picture: Supplied by family

Little Raya Pyke hadn’t even celebrated her second birthday before she was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.

Her parents, Matthew and Abbe Pyke noticed something wasn’t quite right with their 19-month-old who refused to settle and suddenly stopped walking.

“We noticed an attitude change, she was just unrestful and not happy,” Mr Pyke told The Advertiser.

The couple brought their daughter to their local hospital in Port Augusta where doctors decided she had to be flown to Adelaide.

A CAT scan at the Women’s and Children’s hospital revealed the little girl was “riddled with tumours”.

“It was just heartbreaking, she’s not even two years old yet,” the 25-year-old dad said.

Parents Matthew and Abbe Pyke noticed their daughter’s behaviour change, when they brought her to the hospital she was diagnosed with cancer. Picture: Supplied by family

On November 14, doctors diagnosed Raya with stage four malignant germ cell cancer – a disease affecting only 3.5 per cent of children worldwide.

“It’s just an unreal feeling,” Mr Pyke said.

The tumours, which are currently inoperable, began in the little girl’s ovaries and spread to her spine, heart and other organs. The original tumour was the size of an orange.

“Once they cut the tumours open, there’s actually teeth, hair, partially formed eyes, there’s bits of you in the tumours. It’s wrong,” Mr Pyke said.

“The fact there is another daughter growing inside my daughter.”

Mr Pyke said doctors explained the cancer his daughter has, which has caused her to lose mobility, is ‘her’ while a lot of other cancers pretend to be part of you.

Only 3.5 per cent of children worldwide suffer with malignant germ cell cancer. Picture: Supplied by family

Raya is currently responding well to chemotherapy. Picture: Supplied by family

Doctors have told the Pykes there is a “very broad umbrella” of possible prognosis’ for their daughter.

“They can’t promise anything,” Mr Pyke said. “It’s totally up to her and how her body responds to everything … she’s a little trooper.”

Currently Raya is responding well to chemotherapy. She has began to crawl again and is slowly returning to her bubbly self.

“She’s always saying to us ‘play, play’ because she just wants to play like every other kid,” Mr Pyke said.

Raya Pyke (R) with older sister Eve Pyke, who currently lives back with her grandparents in Port Augusta. Picture: Supplied by family

Mr Pyke must continue to work as a truck driver to support his family while his wife Abbe stays by Raya’s side in Adelaide. Picture: Supplied by family

The family, who lives in Port Augusta, is currently split up with Ms Pyke and Raya living in Adelaide while Raya undergoes treatment, and Mr Pyke and the couple’s eldest daughter Eve stay in Port Augusta.

Mr Pyke must continue to work as a truck driver to support the family, while Eve lives with her grandparents while her parents work.

“Unfortunately the bills don’t stop,” Mr Pyke said.

“The main thing is if something happens, I can be there in three and a half hours.”

Mr Pyke said the support from the Port Augusta and broader community has been “unbelievable”.

“We can’t thank people enough,” he said.

If you’d like to donate to support Raya, you can here.