- Myah McGuigan was just nine when she was diagnosed with a rare ovarian germ cell tumour and began chemotherapy at Queensland Children’s Hospital
- Inspired by the toy trolley that brought her joy during treatment, Myah raised $22,500 through a lemonade stand and online fundraising
- Now cancer-free, Myah has helped create Myah’s Toy Trolley, stocked with toys, books and crafts for other children undergoing cancer treatment
Here David McGuigan, 41, Northgate, Qld tells his own story in his own words
I’m not hungry,’ my daughter Myah moaned, pushing away her plate of pasta after just a few bites.
‘Just a few more spoonfuls,’ I coaxed.
It was May 2025 and Myah, nine, was usually a ball of energy, always jumping on the trampoline with her brother Liam, six, and snuggling with her baby sister, Layla, seven weeks old.
But lately, my partner Steph, then 32, and I had noticed Myah was lethargic, not hungry, and had complained of having a sore tummy.
I called Myah and Liam’s mum, Nina, 38, who I share custody with, to let her know what was going on. She’d noticed it too.
Two days later, Nina took Myah to our GP, who referred her for an abdominal ultrasound.
I was working, so Steph, who took her to the appointment, called me with an update.
‘Myah was so brave, and I know the sonographer can’t tell us anything, but I saw her face… I think it’s serious,’ she said.
A pit of worry formed in my gut. You don’t know anything yet, I told myself, trying to stay calm.
Two days later, we all took Myah to hospital for blood work and tests.
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That afternoon, the results were in.
‘Myah has an ovarian germ cell tumour. It’s an extremely rare diagnosis for her age,’ the oncologist told me and Nina, showing us the 15cm by 8cm mass on the ultrasound.
Cancer? But she’s nine! I reeled, shell-shocked.
Nina’s face was a mirror of my own. My mind whirled as I fought to make sense of what the doctor was saying.
‘We’ll need to start treatment right away,’ they urged.
Telling Myah was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. ‘Doctors have found a tumour, but they have medicine to make you better,’ I explained.
‘It’s not contagious, and nothing you’ve done has caused it. It just happened,’ I assured Myah.
‘I can beat it,’ she said, forever seeing the bright side in any situation.
We got books for her and Liam to help explain what was happening.
She started chemo just three days later.
Watching her go through treatment was awful.
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Eventually, Myah lost her long brunette locks, but she never lost her smile, especially when she finished her first chemo round and got to visit the prize trolley – a cart filled with gifts and toys that are donated to the oncology ward at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
‘They have Lego!’ she’d cheer, spending hours building a set.
Other times she’d choose a book and we’d cosy up on her bed together.
‘Where do all these toys come from?’ she asked after another visit to the prize trolley.
I explained to her that they were donated by kind people in the community, or families who had been in the hospital.
‘I’ve taken a few toys, so I want to replace them and make sure everyone else has toys for when they’re going through what I’m going through,’ she said.
‘The prize trolley reminds me I’m not alone and there are kids out there like me who could use a reason to smile too.’
My heart almost burst with pride.
Together, we brainstormed fundraising ideas, and landed on a lemonade stand.
‘I want to help!’ Liam cried, when he heard what we were planning.
That August, we lined up tables in the street and made litres of lemonade.
We started a GoFundMe page too, for people who couldn’t make it.
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Myah, Liam, friends and family helped pour cups of homemade lemonade made by Nina.
‘Look at all these people!’ Myah cried, as word of the stand spread throughout the Brisbane community.
When the final cup was poured, Myah had raised $3000 at the stand.
Online, we’d raised a whopping $22,500.
Overwhelmed by people’s generosity, we contacted the Children’s Hospital Foundation to pass on the funds.
‘You’re amazing, Myah,’ I smiled, cuddling her.
The next month, we had more good news.
After her final chemotherapy treatment in September 2025, the tumour had shrunk over 90 per cent.
The good news felt like a miracle, and Myah had surgery days later to remove the mass.
We were elated when her test results following surgery showed she was in remission.
In August 2026, we saw Myah’s dream come true when the Queensland Children’s Hospital packed a trolley with toys, games, books and more for kids on the ward, and named it ‘Myah’s Toy Trolley’.
Myah requested the trolley had wheels – so kids who were too unwell to get out of bed could access it – and that the sliding drawers were easy to reach for kids with various tubes and wires.
Pushing the trolley down the halls, her hair now grown back in beautiful curls, she chatted away happily to the kids on the oncology ward.
‘This is for you,’ she beamed, handing out craft kits, books and toys.
Now back at school, in grade five, when she’s not on the ice-skating rink, Myah, 10, loves playing in the backyard with Liam, seven, and little Layla, 18 months.
But Myah’s not done yet, she has plans for more fundraising. Myah’s second lemonade stand in August raised an additional $10,095 for Children’s Hospital Foundation.
She has the biggest heart – I couldn’t be prouder of my mighty Myah.
To support Myah’s fundraising for sick kids, you can donate at childrens.org.au/myah
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