Etta’s Incredible Journey: Surviving Two Cardiac Arrests

Etta’s Story: A Tiny Fighter With a Giant Spirit

At just 20 months old, when most toddlers are learning new words, running into their parents’ arms, and discovering the world with wide-eyed wonder, Etta was thrust into a battle no child should ever face.

Her family’s nightmare began with a shocking diagnosis: T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (T-ALL). Tests revealed a large mass in her chest, pressing on her small body and threatening her life. What followed was a journey filled with fear, heartache, and unimaginable resilience.

The Diagnosis and the Crisis

It all happened so quickly. One moment, Etta was a playful toddler. The next, her family was being told that their baby girl had an aggressive blood cancer. The tumour in her chest was so severe that it triggered not one, but

two cardiac arrests.

The first happened in the most heartbreaking of ways — in her papa’s arms. 💔

For her parents, that moment felt like time stopped. They held their child as her heart gave way, terrified she might slip away forever. Emergency teams rushed in, working with urgency and precision to save her. By some miracle, Etta survived. But the trauma of that moment will remain etched in her family’s memory forever.

The Fight Begins

Etta’s treatment was intense from the very beginning. She spent time in intensive care, surrounded by machines and medical teams who fought to stabilise her fragile body.

Once she was strong enough, her journey through cancer treatment began. It included:

• Multiple rounds of chemotherapy, powerful drugs designed to kill the leukaemia cells but which left her weak, nauseous, and drained.

• Lumbar punctures under general anaesthetic, so chemotherapy could be delivered into her spinal fluid.

• Hickman line surgeries, which gave doctors access to her veins but also carried risks of infection and complications.

• Two major blood clots, dangerous and painful obstacles that made her fight even harder.

Every stage of treatment tested her tiny body to its limits. But somehow, Etta endured.

The Side Effects

Cancer treatment is not only about beating the disease — it often leaves lasting scars. For Etta, one of the most difficult side effects was vocal cord paralysis

, a condition that affected her ability to speak and communicate.

For a child, especially one so young, this was devastating. Yet Etta adapted with remarkable determination. She found ways to express herself, ways to connect with those around her, proving that her spirit was louder than any voice could ever be.

Her family watched in awe as she continued to smile, to love, and to live with joy, even when her body struggled.

2.5 Years of Treatment

Etta’s treatment plan stretched across

two and a half years. That meant more than 900 days of hospital visits, medicines, procedures, and side effects. More than 900 days of her family holding their breath, praying for good news, and celebrating small victories.

There were dark moments — days when the sickness was relentless, nights filled with worry, times when setbacks threatened to undo all the progress she had made. But through it all, Etta’s resilience shone. She laughed when she could, danced when she was able, and loved deeply every single day.

Her bravery inspired not only her parents but also the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who walked alongside her.

Ringing the Bell

In October 2024, Etta reached the milestone her family had been waiting for: she

rang the end-of-treatment bell.

The sound rang out through the ward, echoing with triumph, relief, and hope. For her parents, it was a moment of indescribable pride and joy. Tears flowed freely as they watched their little girl, once so fragile in intensive care, now strong enough to stand tall and declare the end of active treatment.

Etta was officially in remission. 💛

Life After Cancer

But remission does not mean the end of her journey.

Etta still struggles daily with the impact of both cancer and its treatments. The vocal cord paralysis remains a challenge. The blood clots, the invasive procedures, and the months in hospital have left lasting effects on her body.

And yet, her love for life has never dimmed. She embraces each day with joy and amazes everyone who knows her. Whether it is playing with friends, cuddling with her family, or simply smiling her radiant smile, Etta shows that even after everything, life can still be beautiful.

A Family’s Pride

Her parents often say that no words could ever fully describe what Etta has endured. But they know this: she is their hero. Her bravery, her strength, and her joy in the face of so much pain have forever changed the way they see the world.

The journey has been cruel, but it has also been filled with love — love from family, from friends, from medical teams, and from communities who stood by them through the darkest days.

Why We Go Gold

Etta’s story is part of the Go Gold campaign for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Gold is the colour of resilience, of strength, of the preciousness of children’s lives.

By sharing her journey, we honour not only Etta but every child who has faced cancer. We shine a light on the reality that childhood cancer is not rare for the families living through it. We raise awareness of the urgent need for better treatments, more research, and stronger support for the children and families who endure this battle every day.