From http://news-review-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/ebony-fights-on-to-goal/
TWO years ago Ebony McIlduff, then 14, was enjoying time with her friends, shopping and playing the violin in the Youth Orchestra.
But when a lump developed on her right hand, forcing her to give up her passion for the violin, her life was turned upside down.
On July 27, 2010, just days after her 15th birthday, Ebony, of Salisbury North, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer which affects the skeletal muscles.
Ebony’s grandmother Myra Briggs has nominated her for the 2012 Pride of Australia Child of Courage award.
Ms Briggs said Ebony was “the most courageous and determined young lady”.
“In the past year, Ebony has been in and out of hospital regularly, sometimes very sick due to high doses of chemotherapy, but we have never seen our granddaughter cry or say, ‘why me?’,” she said.
“She tries to live her life as normal as possible, going to school sometimes even though she has no hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. As a grandmother, I have cried oceans this past year, yet my granddaughter lifts myself and others up saying ‘it will be all right Nana’.”
For Ebony remaining positive “is the best medicine”.
“I think it has something to do with who I was before all of this started,” the Year 11 Heights School student said. “I’ve met so many other children in the oncology ward that are worse off than me.”
Ebony will finish her treatment in September and hopes to return to the Youth Orchestra and go on to study medicine at university.
“You would think I couldn’t stand to be around hospitals once this is over,” she said.
“But I love everything about medicine and going through treatment has only increased my interest.”
