Monique, 8, became sick with Covid and was rushed to hospital when her condition spiralled... then doctors made a devastating discovery

  • Suspected Covid turns into worse diagnosis 
  • Little girl needs help in fight for her life  

By MATT JONES, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Published: | Updated:

An eight-year-old girl who became sick with Covid has received a devastating diagnosis after she was rushed to hospital when her condition quickly deteriorated. 

Monique had been sick with the virus for three weeks when her symptoms suddenly became worse in November.

Her mother Chantelle Quinn told Daily Mail Australia her daughter appeared to become paler in the face and she complained she couldn't see anything. 

Monique's vision had become full of black spots. Panic set in. She was rushed to Mt Druitt Hospital in western Sydney where a series of tests were conducted on her.

Monique was quickly transferred to Westmead Children's Hospital where a shocking diagnosis was revealed.

The eight-year-old, who had never been sick, had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

'I wish I could take it from her. She's my baby,' Ms Quinn said.

Little Monique thought she just had Covid but it turned out to be much worse

Little Monique thought she just had Covid but it turned out to be much worse

'I felt horrible. I lost it and broke down. I couldn't accept it and I still have trouble accepting it.'

ALL is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow and is characterised by an overproduction of immature white blood cells called leukaemic blasts.

The blast cells can spill out of the bone marrow into the bloodstream and accumulate in various organs including the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and central nervous system.

More than 300 adults and children are diagnosed with ALL each year in Australia.

Ms Quinn said the initial rounds of chemotherapy turned Monique into a 'different person' and, unfortunately, they're about to get longer.

'It's just horrible seeing how she is now compared to before,' she said.

'She was happy and bubbly and now she's having breakdowns every day while trying to understand why this happened to her.

'We've now hit the intense bit where we have to come to the hospital for five days at a time and this chemo is going to make her very sick.

Monique, 8, had never been sick before she told her mum Chantelle something horrifying

Monique, 8, had never been sick before she told her mum Chantelle something horrifying

'She's basically going to be doing two chemo session's a day for a month and I'm worried to see how she's going to take it. 

'She could get sores in her mouth and lose her body muscle.'

Before the terrible news, Ms Quinn lost her job and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family in the toughest of times.

Monique's fragile state means she can't travel on public transport because her immune system is compromised.

Ms Quinn doesn't drive and the family home is 30 minutes from Westmead Children's Hospital so the donated money will cover transport costs.

The family is holding onto hope with the cancer having a 90 per cent five-year survival rate. 

'I'm trying to hold onto that,' Ms Quinn said.

'They said it's a two-year thing then it will be gone and then we have to come back every five years to make sure it hasn't come back.'

Sydney

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