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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 20, 2012 · 8 Five-year-old girl in fierce battle with cancer By Nathan Howes SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Dealing with cancer at any stage of your life can be difficult. Lia Goh has been battling it since she was three years old. Now five, the Oakville girl has spent nearly half of her life undergoing chemotherapy since being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in March 2010. She just finished her last chemotherapy treatment June 12. "As any parent could imagine, the day they tell you your kid has cancer, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's like your world falls out from under you and everything just comes crashing in," said Lia's father, Shen. "It's pretty much the worst feeling I think we've ever experienced." Lia started chemotherapy at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children shortly after her diagnosis as doctors ran a battery of tests to determine what risk group she was in. "As a parent, you're worried the whole time because you want your kid to be in the low-risk group. But even if you're in the highest risk, all it determined for us is what treatment protocol to put her on," said Shen. Doctors declared her leukemia in remission in the first week -- but she continued intensive chemotherapy for several months. Shortly after, Lia's hair fell out, her skin turned pale and her joints became sore. She also experienced nausea and had frequent blood transfusions. "She's gone through quite a lot of treatment. Any kid with leukemia like this, the first year is very intense chemotherapy and that's when you lose your hair and everything else," said humour helped her through chemotherapy. "I think kids in general have a lot of capacity for dealing with adversity. She was always joking, even with the worst treatments," said Shen. "She kind of approached everything in a very nice, wonderful way." The chemotherapy was also tough on Lia's family, but they've been supported throughout by relatives and friends. "If you're going to go through something like this, it's almost better to be young because she's seen things that no child should ever have to experience," said Shen. Shen said Lia is doing great now and her hair has grown back, which isn't as long as it was before, but it's "getting there." "I think now if you looked at her, you would never know. Unless we tell Lia Goh Shen. Lia also had to deal with a serious infection in the first three months of treatment. Afterwards, she had to be taught to walk again, Shen said. As tough as it was on Lia, Shen said her "spunk," lively spirit and them, nobody ever knows there is anything wrong with her," said Shen. "(But) we do have to be a little bit cautious for the next little while because her immune system isn't as strong as a normal person's." As for how effective her chemotherapy was, Lia's doctors are confident about her recovery and "all signs point to her doing really well," Shen said. The next major milestone for Lia is five years from the date of her diagnosis without a relapse. Once she reaches that stage, the odds of a relapse happening become "so miniscule you're essentially considered cured," he said. "I think, in general, everything will work out as planned. As a parent you never stop worrying about it when you know she's been through it once," said Shen. See Goh page 9 The Regional Municipality of Halton Access Halton at: www.halton.ca Dial 311 Please contact us, as soon as possible, if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region events or meetings. NOTICE OF MASTER PLAN COMPLETION Wastewater Pumping Station Master Plan Study Halton Region has completed the Wastewater Pumping Station Master Plan study for 59 sewage pumping stations located within the drainage areas of the Burlington Skyway, Oakville Southwest and Oakville Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plants (refer to map). The objective of this study was to prepare a comprehensive plan for asset renewal which considers important issues such as normal aging and deterioration of pumping stations, level, recommended a preferred pumping station management strategy. The Master Plan took into account public and agency comments including comments made at each of four Public Information Centres held in Burlington and in Oakville. It is anticipated that projects resulting from the preferred strategy will be subject to either Schedules A+ or B type projects of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process. Any comments related to the pumping station management strategy outlined in the Master Plan should be submitted in writing by August 29, 2012 to: Magda Bielawski, P.Eng., PMP Project Manager - Wastewater Planning, Public Works Halton Region Building 1151 Bronte Road PLANNING a Better Oakville, ON L6M 3L1 Halton Tel: 905-825-6000 x 7426 E-mail: Magda.Bielawski@halton.ca Information will be collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public records. 200712 The Master Plan will be available for public review for 45 calendar days, starting on July 16, 2012 and ending on August 29, 2012. A copy of the Master Plan is available at the following site: www.halton.ca/pumpstationmasterplan. Hard copies of the Master Plan are also available at the following locations: Town of Oakville Clerk's Department 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville Monday ­ Friday 8:30 a.m. ­ 4:30 p.m. Oakville Public Library - Central 120 Navy Street, Oakville Monday ­ Thursday 9:30 a.m. ­ 9:00 p.m. Friday ­ Saturday 9:30 a.m. ­ 5:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. ­ 5:00 p.m. City of Burlington Burlington Public Library - Central Clerk's Department 2331 New Street, Burlington 426 Brant Street, Burlington Monday ­ Thursday 9:00 a.m. ­ 9:00 p.m. Monday ­ Friday 8:30 am ­ 4:30 pm. Friday 9:00 a.m. ­ 6:00 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. ­ 5:00 p.m. Sunday ­ closed The Regional Municipality of Halton Citizen's Reference Library 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville Monday ­ Friday 8:30 a.m. ­ 4:30 p.m. This notice issued July 13, 2012 www.halton.ca/EAprojects