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Community rallies around Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown after brain tumour diagnosis

A ‘happy, bright and cheerful’ toddler has undergone brain surgery after a routine check-up ended in a horror find. Now her mum wants to raise awareness of the symptoms most parents overlook.

NT toddler Zahli Rose Brown will likely undergo open brain surgery after a tumour was discovered just days after her first birthday. Picture: Supplied.
NT toddler Zahli Rose Brown will likely undergo open brain surgery after a tumour was discovered just days after her first birthday. Picture: Supplied.

A Katherine toddler diagnosed with a tumour has undergone open brain surgery, doctors removing a mass so large they could fit two hands inside the young girl’s skull.

Doctor’s discovered the tumour at the back of Zahli Rose Brown’s head just days after her first birthday.

She was quickly flown to Brisbane for treatment, and on Tuesday underwent surgery to try to remove the growth.

Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown has undergone major brain surgery after doctors discovered a large tumour in her head. Picture: Supplied.
Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown has undergone major brain surgery after doctors discovered a large tumour in her head. Picture: Supplied.

Zahli’s mum, 20-year-old Briahna Ashford, said it was a terrifying wait during a surgery that took twice as long as expected.

“Her surgery was supposed to take five to six hours but ended up taking 10, as it was much bigger than expected,” she said.

“We’d ask how it was going and they just said no news is good news, but it was really scary.”

Doctors removed more than 95 per cent of the tumour, but were unable to remove some attached to the brain stem.

“The surgeon said she was able to fit both her hands in Zahli’s head – that’s how big it was,” Ms Ashford said.

Zahli’s prognosis is still unclear. Tests are being run on the tumour, and the family is expecting to have more answers through the week.

“We’re all very nervous, anxious, wanting to know the results, but just hanging in there,” Ms Ashford said.

Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown has undergone major brain surgery after doctors discovered a large tumour in her head. Picture: Supplied.
Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown has undergone major brain surgery after doctors discovered a large tumour in her head. Picture: Supplied.

In a GoFundMe raising money for treatment, dad Matthew Brown said that because not all of the tumour could be removed, Zahli now faced twice as long in treatment and recovery.

More than $6000 has been raised in support of the Territory family since the fundraiser was launched last week.

“We are so very grateful for all the love and support,” he said.

Donate to the GoFundMe at gofund.me/7f898fc1

Lemon-sized tumour discovered in baby girl after ‘scary’ symptoms missed

December 14: A Northern Territory toddler will likely undergo open brain surgery as doctors search for answers after discovering a large brain tumour just days after her first birthday.

Zahli Rose Brown, a “bright, cheerful little baby” was taken for her routine 12-month immunisations and check up when a nurse at the local Katherine clinic noticed something odd.

A large tumour was discovered in Zahli’s brain last week. Picture: Supplied.
A large tumour was discovered in Zahli’s brain last week. Picture: Supplied.

While her body was average size for her age, Zahli’s head was in the 97th percentile.

She was flown to Darwin for tests and an MRI on Friday revealed a growth the size of a lemon at the back of her head.

Zahli, along with her mum Briahna Ashford and dad Matthew Brown, was quickly transferred to Brisbane, where her medical team plan to perform open brain surgery on Tuesday.

“At the moment they can’t tell us much because they don’t know much – we don’t know if it’s cancer or not cancer, whether it’s deadly or not deadly,” Ms Ashford said.

Zahli with her mum Briahna Ashford. Picture: Supplied.
Zahli with her mum Briahna Ashford. Picture: Supplied.

Amid the agonising wait, Ms Ashford wants to raise awareness of the symptoms most parents pass off as a normal fussy baby.

“It’s scary because looking back there were signs, but they’re hard to pick up on because it’s just normal baby stuff: being fussy with food, irritability, clinginess, throwing up,” she said.

“She had a seizure on Sunday night – eyes looking up and mouth smacking – and I realised I had seen her do this before.”

NT toddler Zahli Rose Brown will likely undergo open brain surgery after a tumour was discovered just days after her first birthday. Picture: Supplied.
NT toddler Zahli Rose Brown will likely undergo open brain surgery after a tumour was discovered just days after her first birthday. Picture: Supplied.

It was around nine months old when Ms Ashford noticed a change in her baby.

“She was a very happy, bright, cheerful little baby, always smiling and wanting attention and cuddles,” she said.

“She loved anyone and everyone, loved going to her grandparents, but about then (nine months) she started wanting mum only, she became really clingy.

“The doctors have told me that’s a common symptom – babies can’t speak and tell you their head hurts.”

Zahli with her dad Matthew Brown. Picture: Supplied.
Zahli with her dad Matthew Brown. Picture: Supplied.

A GoFundMe was organised by Zahli’s aunt, Tahlia Ashford, to help cover Zahli’s medical bills and the cost of staying in Brisbane for treatment, raising more than $2250 in three days.

On Facebook, dad Mr Brown thanked loved ones for their support following the “devastating news”.

“I thank everyone for your prayers and support in this long journey ahead of us,” he said.

Originally published as Community rallies around Katherine toddler Zahli Rose Brown after brain tumour diagnosis

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/community-rallies-around-katherine-toddler-zahli-rose-brown-after-brain-tumour-diagnosis/news-story/fcc7b90fa75609d6d35ad5eeb1ab2ed7