Local cancer survivor a real role model
If you set your eyes upon this pint-sized pocket rocket today, you could never comprehend the medical struggles she faced at such a young age. Georgia Lowry was born on June 3, 1994 at St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. A younger sister to Grace and a daughter to Ann Marie and Shaun, her birth was the perfect piece of the puzzle for the Mundijong family. However their lives were turned upside down just eight weeks later when Georgia became lethargic and pale.
Blood test results revealed the ugly truth – Georgia had a rare aggressive type of cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, of which less than two per cent of infantile patients survive.
What followed was a difficult six months split between intensive care at Princess Margaret Hospital, Subiaco and their home in the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale.
Her mother Anne Marie Lowry remembers all of Georgia’s medical hurdles vividly, in what was an incredibly devastating time for her young family.
“Georgia as such a young cancer patient, was critically ill and under intensive care for many months,” she said.
“Her cancer unfortunately returned 12 months after the first bone marrow transplant and she required a second bone marrow transplant, this time involving radiotherapy to get the cancer under control.”
Fast-forward 25 years to now and Georgia is determined to be defined as a fierce survivor and a role model rather than a victim of cancer.
“Despite the many challenges of a life-threatening illness, many months in hospital, only reaching 145 centimetres and 30 kilograms in weight, she has achieved so much,” Mrs Lowry said.
“She has completed all her schooling culminating in graduating with a solid ATAR score, having leadership roles at school, has represented her club and state in equestrian sports and is a much sought after motivational speaker, inspiring others to take a positive and healthy approach to their lives.”
Georgia currently works in childcare and spends her spare time volunteering as a camp leader and speaker at cancer charities such as Camp Quality and the Children’s Leukaemia and Cancer Research Foundation.
She has also established The Georgia Lowry Young Scientific Foundation Fellowship program.
For more information or to donate visit Georgia Lowry on Facebook.
Source: Examiner Newspapers