When first-time parents Meya and Callan Fowler found out their baby had a teratoma at 20 weeks gestation, there was no doubt they were in it for the long haul.
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And while it would mean a stressful pregnancy and spending weeks at a time travelling from their Bendigo home in central Victoria, they knew holding their baby girl would be worth it.
But that didn't make the news of their little one's tumour any easier to hear, Mr Fowler said.
"It was pretty devastating," he said.
"We were told our baby had a 20 per cent chance of surviving, that was concerning.
"We were given the option to terminate at that time, but we just couldn't."
A teratoma is a type of germ cell tumour that may contain several different types of tissue such as hair, muscle, and bone.
Mature teratomas are usually benign (not cancerous), but they may grow back after being surgically removed. Immature teratomas are more likely to develop into a malignant cancer.
At that point in this case, the tumour was around 5cm.
After being told at 28 weeks their baby had a strong heart beat, the couple had a glimmer of hope.
And when 36 weeks and two days gestation rolled around, it was go time.
Once a one hour of premature labour at the Royal Women's Hospital was over, the couple welcomed their daughter Oliviae into the world.
But it didn't happen without concern.
"At that stage the tumour was about 15cm, it was almost like she had a conjoined twin," Mr Fowler said.
Mr Fowler rode in the ambulance with their baby to the Royal Children's Hospital and one day after her birth on January 31, she went into surgery to remove the tumour.
"It was a nerve-wracking six hours during surgery, but we made it out the other side," he said.
While Mrs Fowler and Olivia spent time in hospital, the Ronald McDonald houses in North Fitzroy and Parkville were there for support.
The couple was thankful to have such a support network through a tough time in their lives.
"It was so amazing to have the option to stay so close to the hospital," Mr Fowler said.
"It was like staying at a five-star resort with professional staff and anything you needed.
"We were so stressed through it all and it was nice to have one thing we didn't have to worry about."
Mr Fowler said even the social aspect of the accommodation helped the family through.
"It was a pretty emotional time and there were so many people around looking out for us," he said.
"I often think we had it pretty rough, but ultimately we were one of the lucky ones because there were others who were worse off than us."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Apart from an infection post-surgery and a little wound, little Oliviae is growing up right before her parents loving eyes.
This month, riders across the country are taking to the pedals to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House through the Ride for Sick Kids.
And while they won't be riding themselves, the Fowler family said they would be supporting the cause regardless.
"We're so grateful and will be donating to this cause, the Good Friday Appeal, anything we can," Mrs Fowler said.
"We've seen the benefits the houses provide families and we want to pay it forward."
If you'd like to find out more about the charity itself or donate to the fundraiser, you can do so online at rmhcvictas.org.au/victasfundraise
