THE parents of one-year-old Sienna Preston started 2020 like every other family - they were full of hope, plans and excitement for the new year that lay ahead.
Less than one month after ringing the bells in, Carly and Yohsan received devastating news that meant their little girl would be spending 2020 having the fight of her life.
Sienna was diagnosed with Optic Pathway Giloma on January 31.
After hearing the dreaded words ‘chemotherapy’, ‘tumour’ and ‘loss of vision’, Carly and Yohsan understood that everything in their lives was about to change.
Yohsan explained: “There was a day where we looked at her and one of her eyes was just bigger than the other.
“We thought maybe it was just an infection or maybe she had a lazy eye but as time went by it got bigger and started to bulge which is when we started to get worried.
“When we heard Sienna had a tumour, we were shocked and so devastated to hear her life would change.”
Accounting for five per cent of all childhood brain tumours, Optic Pathway Giloma is a rare type of tumour which usually begins as non-cancerous and then starts to grow.
Sienna began 18 months worth of gruelling cancer treatment the day she was diagnosed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Carly said: “She was admitted to hospital that night and treatment was started right away.
“It hasn’t been easy – she has been in and out for different things since then. She’s just so little. Everything that could go wrong feels like it’s starting to go wrong at the moment.”
Since being diagnosed, Sienna has been hospitalised four times, had a red blood cell transfusion, undergone a platelet transfusion and is receiving a feeding tube due to weight loss through her treatment.
Carly added: “Through the chemotherapy she has already lost her hair which has been hard.
“She was born with a lot of hair and she has always had loads of hair. It was a big part of her personality.”
Despite enduring the harsh side effects that chemotherapy brings, Sienna has amazed her family with her resilience and has continued to shire through each treatment.
In light of national Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Carly and Yohsan are hoping to raise awareness on how to spot symptoms of childhood brain tumours early on.
Carly said: “The thing about Sienna’s tumour is that it won’t spread but I think if there was more awareness of it then it would help other people.
“The earlier on someone catches it, the less brutal and intense treatment they’ll go through. This is the only treatment for it and it’s really hard.”
Yohsan encouraged: “I would just advise, if something seems wrong please don’t underestimate it.
“Even if you’re not showing showing any symptoms, go to get it checked out.”
As Carly has left her job to care for Sienna, a family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help the family through this difficult time.
The page can be viewed here.
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