After two years of battling a rare bone cancer, an 11-year-old Canberran will make her victory lap at Relay for Life 2023, missing a bone in one leg, and having gained an extra in the other.

Following three years of virtual and restricted events, the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life fundraiser will be back at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Bruce on 1-2 April.

Hundreds of Canberrans will once again walk in relay for all or part of the 24 hours to show that cancer never stops, and neither will those fighting for a cure.

Among them, Makayla Nixon will be wheeling, and maybe even walking, the survivor lap that kicks off the relay, but she won’t be doing it alone. Her tight-knit family, the Nixon 5, will be providing support on all sides, just as they did from the day of her diagnosis.

In 2021, Makayla was diagnosed with Differentiated Adamantinoma, which accounts for less than one per cent of bone cancers.

“It was the June/July school holidays,” said her mother, Claire. “She fell off the little balancing beam in the playground. It was only 30cm, if that, off the ground.”

Claire was on her own at the time, rushing around to take care of Makayla, her sister Charlotte (9), and brother Caleb (15).

Caleb, who years later would champion for the whole family to enter Relay for Life, was the one who noticed the bump in her leg.

“My brother saved me!” smiled Makayla.

They were rushed to Cavalry Hospital, where Claire was told that Makayla would need to be transferred.

“I thought it might have been because she needed surgery until they pulled me aside into a room. They had Makayla’s leg on the big screen and pointed to a spot on the bone and said they think it could be cancer. I just crumbled,” said Claire.

Makayla had broken right through the cancer site in the bone, which had been weakened.

There had been no previous symptoms. If it hadn’t been for her fall, they wouldn’t have known.

Thus began the two-year process to remove the cancer from Makayla’s leg.

Adamantinoma type cancer doesn’t react to chemo or radiation. “The only way to make sure that it’s out is to remove the affected bone,” said Claire. “But to put something in its place, she needed to be a fraction taller.”

While waiting for that desperately needed growth spurt, Makayla spent 16 weeks in a full leg cast as the break wasn’t able to heal.

When the waiting, and growing, was finally over, they were referred to Westmead Hospital in Western Sydney in January 2022. By this time, doctors decided to try a new strategy, harvesting the fibula on her right leg to bring into the left.

As her dad puts it, Makayla would have “three bones in one leg, and one in the other.”

“Magic, right?” smiled Makayla.

“It’s funny. Having gone through cancer myself, I always thought I was quite a strong person,” said Claire. “Until a child goes through it. I am grateful that I had my mum to lean on, who went through the exact same thing with me.

“The most challenging part was when she was in surgery, even over being told she had cancer, that nine-hour wait when you just had no idea how she was going.”

Right before she went into theatre, Makayla was offered some medication for her nerves.

“She had the adverse reaction to this medication and went hysterical. She was screaming and crying, so then I’m crying because I didn’t want her to go into the theatre upset,” said Claire.

Claire kissed Makayla as she was put to sleep, then became well-acquainted with the Westmead Hospital coffee shop.

“Wayne and I couldn’t bring ourselves to leave the hospital, so the staff got to know us quite well after we had coffee, after coffee, after coffee.

“It was the longest nine hours I have ever experienced.”

Makayla, always one to lighten the mood, chimed in. “Well, it was the shortest nine hours I’ve ever experienced.”

Then came the euphoric moment when they were told she was cancer-free.

“They’re 99 per cent certain,” clarified Claire.

“Can we just plus one and make it a hundred?” said Makayla cheekily.

“I say to my leg all the time, why can’t you just heal faster? I say that to myself a lot.”

It’s been a lot for her to take in, already living with anxiety and ADHD. Claire and the family are building up her confidence again.

Proof of all the healing she’s done is the long thin scars down both her legs. “My mum says it’s a battle scar.”

The procedure left her with one weakened leg, missing the support of a structural bone. The doctors believe that as she heals, Makayla will eventually be able to walk without a limp but won’t be able to go back to her Karate or contact sports.

Makayla says mournfully that she was just about to go up a belt before she broke her leg. But if there’s one thing cancer won’t take away from her, it’s her love of the water.

“When they said that I’m allowed to go to the pool, I was like, ‘Mum, you’re taking me tomorrow!’ As soon as I got into the water I just swam off.”

When asked how it feels to be getting back to normal kid stuff, Makayla took a moment to answer.

“Fantastic,” she breathed.

Register your team for Relay for Life or support Makayla and her squad at relayforlife.org.au/event/act-2023

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