Baby Mia needs our help in cancer fight
"She's such a bubbly and happy little girl. She's very curious, switched on and intelligent and very aware of her surroundings”
Whitsunday
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A FUNDRAISING drive has been set up for Whitsundays family Nicole and Benjamin Depuit and their one-year-old daughter Mia, who was diagnosed with a rare form of aggressive cancer last week and flown to Brisbane for immediate treatment.
Krystal Warren, Ms Depuit's close friend, said Mia was taken to the doctor's last week as her stomach was becoming progressively bloated, very quickly.
"Obviously that wasn't normal, so the doctor ordered an ultrasound and that's when they found it was either a cyst or a tumour."
Ms Warren said a CT scan at Lady Cliento Children's Hospital in Brisbane on Sunday confirmed a 10cm tumour, called an adrenal cortical carcinoma, was near Mia's kidneys on her adrenal cortex.
"The plan was to surgically remove it, but they realised it would put Mia's life at risk when they found out how big it was."
Ms Warren said it was in Brisbane that suspected blood clots were discovered on Mia's lungs which prevented her from being able to breathe on her own, and she is now in the ICU ward on breathing support.
She said that once Mia was able to breathe independently again, "they will have to face the heartbreaking journey of six months of chemotherapy for their little girl in Brisbane, before they can hopefully surgically remove the tumour for good".
The family, currently staying at Ronald McDonald House, will be in Brisbane indefinitely and Mr Depuit, an electrician, has taken time off work. Ms Warren said residents and businesses could make donations to help the family at a GoFundMe page she had set up at gofundme.com/ save-baby-mia- fighting-a-tumour
She is hoping to raise at least $30,000 to help pay for flights and accommodation while Mr Depuit is unable to work, and she will also organise local raffles to raise much-needed money as soon as possible.
"Every cent will help Mia and her family at this difficult time while they have to stay in Brisbane for her ongoing treatment," she said.
Ms Warren, who went to school with Nicole in Proserpine, gave birth to a baby girl, Briella, within weeks of Mia and said the two babies had become firm friends.
"It was great to have our pregnancies together. I often go shopping with Nicole and have a coffee at Luv a Coffee café at Whitsunday Plaza. They all know us there.
"Now, the girls are best friends and have been seeing each other since they were six weeks on a regular basis. When they are together they love to play. Mia likes interacting with people.
"She's such a bubbly and happy little girl. She's very curious, switched on and intelligent and very aware of her surroundings.
"She loves toys and playing with balls and playing on her blow-up jumping castle at home."
Ms Warren said the Depuit family enjoy taking their daughter on trips to the beach, park and fishing.
"They love family time."
Anyone who wants to make a donation for raffles or to the fundraising effort can contact Krystal Warren on 0466 985 727 or k.l.warren96@hotmail.com or visit:
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