Sommer Purdie, only one year old, has faced significant challenges in her short life. Referred to as a “miracle baby” by her mother, Jess, Sommer was born a year after Jess suffered a miscarriage. Initially healthy, Sommer’s struggles began when her parents noticed concerning symptoms at seven months old. After a visit to the hospital revealed a large mass in her chest, she was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery, where it was discovered that her cancer stemmed from Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a genetic condition that increases cancer risk.
Sommer has undergone seven rounds of chemotherapy with further treatment planned, prompting her parents to address the implications for her future fertility. Jess and Ryan chose to focus on Sommer’s cancer treatment over ovarian preservation, leading to plans for potential egg donation from her older sister, Lily. The family faces ongoing uncertainties regarding Sommer’s health and the financial burden of her medical care, which includes significant travel and accommodation costs.
Now in remission, Sommer requires lifelong monitoring, and amidst all uncertainties, her parents remain hopeful but realistic about her future, taking it one day at a time. “We hope that she is able to be a mother, but just one day at a time is what we’ve prepared ourselves for,” Ryan shared.