Courageous Tori facing the fight of her life

The Gunnedah community is rallying behind one brave little girl facing the fight of her life.

Two-year-old Tori Kember is undergoing urgent chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with liver cancer last week.

The effects of the treatment mean she is expected to also require a liver transplant in several months’ time.

The cancer diagnosis came as a complete shock to family and friends of young Tori, who just days ago was innocently unaware of the huge health fight to come.

Tori’s mum Katie said her daughter became unwell last Thursday with a mild fever and was complaining of a sore stomach.

Suspicions of a virus or bowel obstruction were the first thoughts that crossed the minds of family.

As Tori’s condition worsened on Friday, she was taken to hospital in Tamworth where doctors carried out an X-Ray and ultrasound at about 5pm.

By 9:15pm that night, a helicopter arrived to fly Tori to the Children’s Hospital in Westmead, Sydney.

It was there that a CT confirmed the family’s “nightmare” – that little Tori had liver cancer.

Tori’s grandmother Jayne, who is also in Sydney helping care for Tori’s identical twin sister Hailie, said the cancer is complex.

“There is a mass on her liver and little masses around it,” Jayne said.

Speaking to the Gunnedah Times on Tuesday, the grandmother said a “line” was introduced to start chemotherapy treatment this week.

Tori will have treatment every two weeks, followed by a liver transplant in three months’ time and then more chemotherapy.

Jayne said the first round of treatment will be exceptionally tough for brave little Tori, as doctors fight to reduce the size of the cancer.

“They were going to hit her hard (with chemotherapy),” she said.

This might be Tori’s biggest battle of her young life but it’s not her first.

Tori and her twin sister Hailie were born premature, setting up a fight for life before it had barely begun.

“They’ve already spent their first months in hospital,” Jayne said.

Jayne said her daughter Katie and her partner Cody are holding up best they can given the circumstances.

“This has turned their world upside down,” Jayne said.

“You never think something like this is going to happen.

“We need to try and think positive.”

After Tori’s initial rounds of chemotherapy, surgery is expected to follow with the liver transplant.

Ideally this would be provided by her twin sister, but due to her age, alternative donors are being sought.

Jayne said Katie’s brothers Brodie and Mitchell would be tested to determine their suitability.

The grandparents are staying at Ronald McDonald House in Sydney alongside Katie and Cody.

Cody manages a farm near Boggabri but will splitting his time between Boggabri and Sydney while Tori undergoes treatment.

The family will remain in Sydney for about six months while the treatment takes place.

“Today they are testing her kidney,” Jayne said on Tuesday.

“She has three blood tests every hour.”

Meanwhile, other life plans back home are on hold.

Katie was starting a new job in Boggabri, and the girls were due to start a new day care in Boggabri.

While the experience has been challenging for all involved, Jayne said the family has been blown away by the support from the Gunnedah community.

“It’s been unbelievable the well wishes and those wanting to help,” she said.

Katie also thanked the community for its unwavering support.

“It is so overwhelming and will help our family immensely,” Katie said.

A Go-Fund Me page was established to help the family but with a percentage of those donations deducted by the host, a local cancer support group in Gunnedah has also pledged its help.

Pink Up Gunnedah has set up a ‘trust account’ for the family with people able to direct deposit donations.

Pink Up Gunnedah spokesperson Colleen Fuller said 100 per cent of money received would be forwarded to Tori’s family.

Visit the Gunnedah Times classifieds page here for Pink Up’s direct deposit details.