Young Leah Xuereb is recovering fast and will soon be discharged from the specialised hospital in Texas where she had a last-resort operation last month.

The past three weeks were very tough

A “stronger” mother of the three-year-old who has been fighting fever and infections for the past three weeks yesterday told The Sunday Times that the days spent in intensive care were “terrible”.

“The past three weeks, after Leah underwent the 12-hour operation, were very tough... But we had to go through them to be here.

“So in a way we’re lucky that we went through this ordeal. We’re also feeling much stronger morally, and physically better,” Zhana Xuereb said. On November 12, Leah underwent surgery to remove a very rare form of stomach cancer, after previous treatment in London failed.

Although her surgeons were confident they had removed the entire tumour, her body temperature started fluctuating and the little girl was in “unbearable pain”.

The pain persisted despite painkillers and the doctors informed the parents she was suffering from different infections. At one point they had to perform a small operation to remove the bacteria.

Her parents drifted through the following days, hoping Leah would show signs of recovery, until she was released from intensive care on Wednesday.

During the past couple of days, Leah has been showing “clear signs” of recovery and “seems more awake everyday” according to her mother, who added that the little girl’s hair was growing back.

Ms Xuereb cannot wait until Leah starts eating and drinking again, and hopes she will be able to take her daughter out for some fresh air today.

If she keeps showing progress, the toddler might be discharged tomorrow or Tuesday. The family will then stay in the US for a few weeks under the watchful eyes of the doctors.

They hope to come back to Malta by Christmas, but are taking things one step at a time, Ms Xuereb said. When her fever started subsiding, Leah told her mother she wanted a white bike for Christmas, and newspaper readers have already offered to give the toddler a bicycle.

Since the story first featured in The Times, people have provided financial and moral support to the family, and her parents send their regards to the Maltese every time they speak to the newspaper.

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