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Mother of three isn't leaving her daughter's side Continued from page 1 15 · Friday, September 21, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com men is compressing nearly every vital organ Savannah has, including her lungs, making it difficult for the young girl to breathe. As her pancreas, kidney and liver are not functioning properly, doctors have inserted tubes to drain the fluids those organs would normally process. Brandy said at one point, her daughter gained 20 pounds (nine kilograms), because of the buildup of fluids inside her. "She's such a fighter. She's so strong," said Brandy. "She impresses me every day." Brandy described her daughter as a happy-go-lucky child who loves to dance and sing and who always wants to see people happy and make them laugh. Others described her as a peacemaker noting that she would step between her older brother Cody, 8, and sister Dakota, 6, to stop squabbles. In the hospital, Savannah clings to her stuffed frog, Tabatha, and watches Dora the Explorer on television. "She's a little ray of sunshine," said Brandy. "That's my girl." Brandy said the first hint anything was wrong came just two weeks before Savannah's admission to McMaster when she complained of pain when she went to the washroom. Initially doctors diagnosed her as simply "I can't leave her. She's three and she's fighting for her life and she needs to know there is someone there with her." Brandy Herbert, Savannah's mom right now," said Brandy. "At the time, (about) 27 days ago, she could still walk, she could still talk, she could still eat and within a week she was on a ven- tilator, she can't breathe on her own and they are putting drains in her." One round of chemotherapy was attempted, but because Savannah's white blood cell count did not bounce back as expected, no more are scheduled. Savannah was expected to begin radiation therapy Wednesday. The situation is made worse by the fact that Brandy is a single parent and the sole source of income for her family. While family members are able to look after her other children, no money is coming See Lots page 16 SUBMITTED PHOTO ray of sunshine: Savannah Herbert, 3, is battling neuroblastoma. being constipated, however, when the problem didn't go away, Brandy returned to the hospital with Savannah and an ultrasound was performed. It was at that point the tumour was discovered and Brandy and Savannah were sent to McMaster. "I lost it. I had all my kids with me because I thought she just had a bladder infection and we wouldn't be at the hospital that long. They took me to a room and looked at me and told me she had cancer and that I had to go to McMaster and I have to go Oakville's State-of-the-Art Hearing Clinic OPEN HOUSE October 4th (10am - 4pm) Come experience the latest in Hearing Aid Technology! 100 AID % INVISIBLE* HEARING The only 100% custom, invisible*, digital and fully programmable hearing aid. 289.837.1137 Visit our office across from Winners 2387 Trafalgar Road Oakville, ON www.pureaudiology.ca