Georgia and Abbey prove the power of friendship can overcome anything — even cancer

FRIENDSHIP helped Georgie and Abbey turn the worst of times into the best of times. Now they have overcome cancer together and come out with a lifetime bond.

Best friends Abbey (left) and Georgia had identical diagnoses and the same recovery. Picture: Sarah Matray

BEST friends Georgia Russell and Abbey Magnik have more in common than anyone would want.

When they met last August it was under the worst circumstances imaginable — each was diagnosed with the same bone cancer, just 10 days apart.

Rather than facing the disease on their own, Georgia, 10, and Abbey, 9, banded together to fight and eventually overcome the cancer.

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Georgia and Abbey. Picture: Sarah Matray

And they became so inseparable at Monash Children’s Hospital that even their parents now call them “the cancer twins”.

“Abbey was diagnosed two weeks before me and we had osteosarcoma, bone cancer,” Georgia said.

“I was very nervous, but we had to take it positively. It felt really good because I had somebody else there with me on my journey.”

Born just six months apart and living in neighbouring suburbs, the two shared all the same interests as well as matching treatments.

Over 10 months the two spent four out of every five weeks in hospital and become so close they actually looked forward to some of the 16 rounds of chemotherapy they endured together.

During the worst of times when they were too sick to speak, the girls would sit in the same bed quietly just to be near and supporting each other.

At other times they sped around the hospital wards, undertook crafts or attended school classes at Monash Children’s.

The only time the two could be separated was a fortnight in October as they recovered from matching operations to cut tumours from their legs — with Abby having 24cm of bone removed from the top of her left leg and Georgia having a matching 18cm section taken from her right.

The girls attended school classes at Monash Children’s Hospital. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Even then they spent most of the time talking on Facetime to overcome the fact they were in different rooms.

“We both did dancing, we love crafts, we feel like we are always together — we don’t want to separate,” Abbey said.

“It made me feel happy when I was around her. It felt good having somebody around me and I just didn’t feel like I was alone.”

Three months ago both girls received matching good news when they completed treatment and were both cancer free. Out of hospital, they now spend as much time as they can at each other’s homes.

Having seen the girls go through so much together, paediatric oncologist Dr Yoni Diamond expects them to be inseparable for life.

“In the darkest of times they formed an incredible friendship and bond which is unbreakable and is a blessing almost,” Dr Diamond said.

“You wouldn’t wish it upon anyone and it is always a really challenging journey to go through. But if you can have someone with a similar background going through the same treatment, it is really rewarding to share your experiences and know you are not alone.”

He added: “The doctors and nurses always care for you and it is such a privilege doing that. But I think there is always some solace and something really special in going through the journey together.”

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