Halle Kiehne is a survivor. It's been an emotional and difficult nine months for the five-year-old, who has battled brain cancer.
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In October last year, Halle was assessed by doctors for continuous headaches.
"We went to the GP three times and was told it was nothing," her mum Danielle Smyth explained.
"When we went to the fourth doctor, he sent her for an MRI.That's where they found a very big tumour."
Within no time, Halle was rushed by ambulance down the Pacific Highway to Newcastle for emergency surgery.
"The surgeons got nearly all of it," Danielle said.
This was followed by six weeks of radiation therapy in Sydney and a couple of follow up appointments.
Halle will undergo scans every three months to monitor her progress and check for tumours.
"The biggest risk of it returning is within the first 18 months," Danielle said.
She will be given the all clear after five years of positive scans.
Danielle said the family will be anxious but optimistic during this time.
There hasn't been noticeable side effects from treatment or cancer and with concerns it would impact on her abilities to run, Halle has proved she's a fighter.
"She's playing soccer, came second in her cross country and recently won an excellence award," Danielle said.
Danielle said brain cancer treatment and research is severely underfunded across Australia and hoped it will grow in the future.
Taree's Cafe Thyme plans to do something about it. The cafe will hold a fundraiser for the Mark Hughes Foundation inline with the NRL's Beanies for Brain Cancer Round.
For every cup of coffee purchased at the cafe between Monday, July 29 and Friday, August 2, $1 will be donated to the foundation.
The cause is close to the heart of store owner Nerida Ramsey, who has battled the disease in her life.
Brain cancer kills more children than any other disease in Australia. It's considered the most complex cancer but is the most under studied.
Brain cancer research receives little support, where in 2012 it was reported it received only three per cent of government funding.
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