Five-year-old Millie Barrett defeats ultra-rare dual cancer

The first week of school was extra special for a Toowoomba prep student who just 18-months ago feared she may not see her next Christmas. Here’s how she triumphed.

Millie Barrett has overcome two cancers at just five-years-old, starting her first day of Prep on January 28.

The first day of school brought a flood of emotions for a young girl and her family after being told 18-months prior she may not see her next Christmas.

Millicennt Barrett has endured a harrowing first five-years of her life, diagnosed with a neuroblastoma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a coexisting second cancer that had infiltrated her pituitary gland, skull, rib and orbital bone and was perilously close to her brain.

The incredibly brave young girl has weathered 18-months of chemotherapy, including countless trips to the emergency department and a nine-hour surgery to remove 1.4kg of a tumour.

The intensive surgery meant she had to learn how to walk all over again, defying all odds with Millie now in remission and eagerly telling the world how she defeated two cancers.

Her mother Courtney Barrett captured a truly special moment as the lion-hearted young girl prepared to embark on her first day of school.

“She said I want to be a doctor because I want to help sick people like they (doctors) helped me,” Ms Barrett said tearfully.

Millie beamed for joy as she prepared to embark on her first day of school, a day her parents and doctors were uncertain she would see. Photo: Courtney Clark

Ms Barrett said the support of Millie’s school helped alleviate their fears about the daunting process.

“They have been absolutely incredible, my husband and I were a little bit worried moving into schooling that because she’s still a complex medical case, that she might be treated differently or it might be harder to get her into the school we want,” she said.

For the Barrett family, the was a day to remember when the doctors finally removed the central line embedded into Millie’s jugular vein, which had delivered numerous rounds of chemotherapy and other medication.

“When we got the news, I sat her down and told her, she broke down crying and just hugged me saying ‘thank you’,” Ms Barrett said.

“She’s just so ecstatic about the fact that you know she’s beaten cancer and she’s so proud of it that she tells anyone, even random people in Woolworths which is adorable.”

Living with the central line and its high risk of infection meant for 18-months Millie was unable to do many regular things including taking a shower or proper bath.

Three-year-old Toowoomba girl Millie Barrett has beat two cancers, Langerhans cell histiocytosis and neuroblastoma after first being diagnosed in August, 2023.

“Normal daily tasks were actually a luxury for her so it’s really good to be able to do those sorts of things now,” she said.

Millie’s illness had also prevented her from playing with her little sister Evelyn, who Ms Clark said developed separation anxiety from their long trips away to hospital.

“She was asking questions like ‘when do I get my noodle?’ which is what we affectionately named Millie’s central line, so Evelyn understands she was sick,” she said.

Ms Clark said the pair had been inseparable since she and Millie came back to Toowoomba full time just over six months ago.

“Their favourite thing to do is have a shower together and we’ve been going to the local pool as often as we can and they just love doing that together,” she said.

“It’s really beautiful to see because they’re so close, they fight like siblings but they are inseparable.”

Millie triumphantly rang the bell to signify the end of her treatment on January 24, inviting her little sister to revel in her glory.

Millie invited her little sister Evelyn to ring the bell, signifying the end of her treatment and of defying cancer on January 24. Photo: Courtney Clark

While she is in remission, Millie’s oncologist informed her parents there’s a 70-80 per cent chance of a relapse due to the mutation of her cancer.

Ms Barrett said her family remained overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support in the past 18-months.

“We’ve received hampers and gift vouchers which really softened the blow over Christmas, especially when you’re living off one income,” she said.

“We are so incredibly grateful for the community support we’ve had.”

Originally published as Five-year-old Millie Barrett defeats ultra-rare dual cancer