While undergoing a 20-minute PET scan, Olivia Lambert had technicians and doctors in stitches.
The plucky eight-year-old did not realise a microphone was broadcasting her cheerful singing to an adjoining room and was loud enough to be heard by her parents down the hall.
The Ngunnawal girl is back at the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick after doctors found the rare and aggressive cancer she was diagnosed with six years ago has returned.
Three days after her birthday, Olivia was told neuroblastoma cells had been found in two spots on her skull and in her right hip. Her response: ''Well at least it hasn't hurt my singing voice.''
This is the fifth time Olivia has had cancer. She's been in remission four times and her chances of survival after her first relapse were given as less than 1per cent. Her eighth birthday last month was a milestone her parents Kirsty and James were told she would never reach. Now they are determined to give Olivia more time. ''We know the outlook is bleak, but they have said that before,'' Mr Lambert said. ''We don't know any other children who have survived four relapses, and neither do the doctors. They haven't met anyone like Olivia before.''
In 2010, Australian doctors gave up on trying to treat the little girl, offering only palliative care. The family went to Germany, after Canberrans donated more than $300,000 to give Olivia a chance, and last year she had no measurable disease after months of chemotherapy.
Olivia is looking at the positives. Her hair is growing longer and she wants to go back to school, but for the past two days she's been hooked up to a machine via a catheter in her neck. ''I'm getting my stem cells collected,'' Olivia said. ''My neck hurts but I'm on a comfy bed.''
Surrounded by a sea of purple, her favourite colour, Olivia said she wants to beat the disease.
Mrs Lambert said the most difficult decision was trying to find the right balance between treatment and quality of life. ''We have heard the prognosis from our doctors many times before, it doesn't get any easier,'' Mrs Lambert said.
Doctors are collecting stem cells for further treatment. MIBG therapy is usually palliative but by increasing the dose doctors hope to push Olivia back into remission.
The family want to share Olivia's story to raise awareness about the aggressive disease and started a charitable foundation in Olivia's name that raises funds for their daughter and other children with neuroblastoma. www.olivialambertfoundation.org.au
This reporter is on Twitter: @ewakretowicz
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