- Olivia was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered a stage 4 Wilms tumour
- After intensive chemotherapy and radiation, Olivia’s tumour shrank enough for doctors to remove her kidney
- Olivia is continuing chemo, while her mum, Jazmin, shares their journey online
Here Jazmin shares her story in her own words.
‘You look quite bloated, darling,’ I said to my daughter, Olivia, three.
It was February this year and, feeling her tummy, I found her left side was much harder than the right.
Livy was a tiny thing but had always been healthy. A happy, energetic little girl, she loved chatting to everyone she met, just like I did. ‘You’re my mini-me!’ I’d laugh.
As a single mum, Livy was my whole world.
Assuming she was just constipated, I took her to our GP. Examining Livy, she looked concerned.
‘Take her straight to the emergency department,’ she said.
Stunned, I took Livy to the Gold Coast University Hospital, where she had blood tests, ultrasounds and X-rays.
Around 7pm, while Livy was on my lap, some doctors came into the room.
‘She’s only three years old.’
‘We’ve found a 12cm tumour on her left kidney,’ one said gently, explaining it’d grown so extensively her kidney was no longer functioning.
‘There’s also a tumour on her adrenal gland and one on her liver. We think she has cancer.’
‘But she’s only three years old,’ I gasped, bursting into tears.
‘Why are you crying, Mummy?’ Livy asked.
I hugged her tight, not knowing what to say.
The next morning, my girl was transferred to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, where specialists performed more scans and a biopsy.
My mum, Kristie, 45, and my grandma Carolyn, 76, came to support me as I was such a mess.
The results were devastating. Livy also had three nodules on her lungs.
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‘She has a stage 4 Wilms tumour,’ the specialist told us, explaining it’s a rare kidney cancer that mainly affects children.
Unfortunately, it’d already spread to different parts of her body.
‘This can’t be real,’ I sobbed in Mum’s arms.
‘Her constipation turned out to be cancer.’
I couldn’t believe that what I’d thought was just constipation turned out to be cancer. It was my 20th birthday – and the worst present possible.
I’d become a mum young, giving birth to Olivia at 16. Thankfully I had incredible support from my family – Mum, and my dad, Chris, 50, my brothers, Jack, 19, and Jordan, 28, and Grandma.
Together we’d raised Olivia. Now we’d fight for her together too.
Chemotherapy started immediately.
‘You’re sick, so you need this treatment until you get better,’ I said to Livy.
The first cycle was brutal. Livy was so ill she vomited. ‘I feel sick,’ she sobbed, as I held her close, feeling helpless.
‘Livy’s beautiful blonde hair began falling out.’
After three weeks of chemo, Livy’s beautiful blonde hair began falling out in chunks.
‘I think we’d better shave your head,’ I said.
All our family and friends gathered and, as her hair was razored away, she smiled at me. Suddenly I realised hair didn’t matter, being together did. If she was brave enough to face cancer, I could certainly face being bald.
‘Okay, now my go,’ I said. I shaved my own head, then turned to her.
‘Look, you’re still my mini-me,’ I smiled, hugging Livy tight.
After six weeks of weekly chemo, Livy’s tumour had shrunk by 70 per cent, meaning doctors could finally operate. After nine agonising hours, the surgeon confirmed the procedure went well.
‘It was one of the stickiest Wilms tumours I’ve ever seen,’ she told me. ‘But we successfully removed Livy’s left kidney, adrenal gland and the affected tissue surrounding her bowel.’
When we finally got to see Livy, she looked so fragile in her hospital bed that I just wanted to trade places with her.
For the next two weeks, Livy had daily radiation therapy. Because she was so young, she needed to have a general anaesthetic every time.
Watching nurses wheel her away never got easier. Neither did waiting for her to wake up.
‘She kept fighting, and so did we.’
But she kept fighting, and so did we.
Today, my girl is continuing chemotherapy as part of an 11-cycle treatment plan.
Some days are harder than others, but we’re getting there.
Along the way, I started posting videos on my TikTok @jazmin.spring to pass the time in hospital.
I never expected over 30,000 people to follow our journey. Their love and support has been incredible and reminds us we’re not alone.
My best friend Aleyra also organised a GoFundMe to help us.
READ MORE REAL LIFE: My ‘pregnant belly’ was deadly
I was working as a hairdresser and training to be a midwife, but I’ve set that aside as I have to be with Livy every day.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know my daughter is the bravest person I’ve ever met. Even during painful treatments, she flashes her favourite little peace sign and keeps smiling.
‘She is my whole world.’
She is my whole world, and no matter what lies ahead, we’ll face it together.
To help Jazmin and her girl, visit GoFundMe.
