When two-year-old Alexander Poar tears into his presents on Christmas Day, his developing body will still be processing a course of chemotherapy.
But his mum Breeanna Poar does not expect it to hold him back.
Alex's family has tucked the sort of presents you would choose for any active child under the tree, including a toy archery set and a miniature electric car.
"He has the biggest personality, he's independent, he's a very full-on child," Ms Poar said.
"I don't think we could ever stop him from running around and being his active little self."
Alex's health went downhill at nine months old, after starting daycare in his regional Victorian hometown of Shepparton.
"He was just constantly getting viral infection after viral infection, we got told he had pneumonia, bronchitis — he had both of those before he was even two," Ms Poar said.
Friends and family reassured the first-time mum it was run-of-the-mill at childcare centres.
Ms Poar said she knew he was going to get sick at daycare, but it was happening too often.
"It was almost every two weeks I was having to take time off work 'cos he was sick once again," she said.
A year of intensive cancer treatment
Today marks 10 months since Ms Poar has been able to work.
In February 2022, her usually-busy boy started getting regular nose bleeds and became lethargic.
One day Ms Poar had to leave her shift at a coffee shop early to collect Alex from her mum, who had just tested positive for COVID.
When they got home he fell asleep for five hours.
Something wasn't right.
After describing his symptoms to her doctor she was told to go straight to the emergency department.
"They were constantly running blood tests and ended up admitting us overnight," Ms Poar said.
Alex's blood samples were in a Melbourne laboratory within a few hours.
While he didn't have covid, doctors believed he had blood cancer.
"My good friend, her daughter was diagnosed eight months prior," Ms Poar said.
"So when they came in and said his platelets or his white cells were low, I was immediately on the phone to her saying: 'They're coming back with the same answers you had'.
"It was scary, I was numb, I don't remember a lot of it."
Alex and his mum were rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne where he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, known as ALL.
About 370 people are diagnosed with ALL each year in Australia, and more than 200 of those are children.
Last treatment before Christmas
Ms Poar and her son have lived in Melbourne since his diagnosis, a two-hour drive from Shepparton.
"It's been challenging, that's the only way I could word it," Ms Poar said.
Mother and son have had a few overnight stays back home over the year, but Ms Poar said as soon as they got settled they had to pack up and go back to the city.
Alex spent several days each week in hospital for chemotherapy, immunotherapy, bloodwork, and dressing changes.
At one point he was connected to an IV drip constantly for 28 days.
"He's so resilient," Ms Poar said.
"At the start we were told he would stop walking.
"He definitely slowed down and we noticed his speech had gone backwards with treatment, but he never stopped walking, whereas lots of kids would."
Alex has his final round of chemo three days before Christmas.
Then he and his mum can move back to Shepparton.
Next year they will travel to Melbourne weekly, then monthly, as treatment eases.
Ms Poar said she did not know how she would have managed the past year if the Leukaemia Foundation had not offered her an apartment to live in — for free.
She and her partner, Kyle, are making do with one income.
Alex's nana Janelle Poar said while her grandson had missed out on some milestones — including this year's photo with Santa — he would be excited to sleep in his own bed on Christmas Eve.
"He just loves being home, back with daddy and his dogs," she said.
"There's still another two years of full-on treatment, but we know he's coming through the worst and it's all looking up."
