9-Year-Old Girl With Stage Four Brain Cancer Tests Positive for COVID-19

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Jan 30, 2021 06:49 AM EST

(Photo : Naomi's Fight: Naomi Strong) Post from Naomi's Fight: Naomi Strong with caption "Ahh Home sweet home. Time to rest."

Nine-year-old girl Naomi Short, who is fighting stage four brain cancer, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Naomi Short has been fighting brain cancer for nearly two years, and COVID-19 now added to the obstacles she and her family face.

A page set up by her family, Naomi's Fight: Naomi Strong, said the COVID-19 diagnosis was made on Tuesday morning, as the girl went to scan monitoring the growth of her cancer. The family recognized their doctor's advice that rapid testing isn't very accurate.

"She is scared and resting today," her family said in a post. "We will go get her another test in the next couple of days."

According to Cincinnati news site Local 12, the COVID-19 diagnosis postponed an important scan to monitor Short's brain cancer. It will take about four to six weeks before she can get the scan that she needed.

In 2019, her mother, Melissa Short, said the girl had bad migraines that made her sick. Upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, the family also learned that the girl had a tumor spread down to her spine.

Naomi Short was diagnosed with Pineoblastoma, and her mother said her survival rate was about 30 percent. Yet, about two years later, the girl is still fighting her battle against cancer-and now, COVID-19.

Naomi Short received the necessary scans every three months. Her tumor has since been removed successfully, and doctors were doing her scans to monitor any cancer's growth or spread.

Naomi Short Calls for Prayers on Social Media

In a video to her Facebook page, Short asked for prayers. She said, "Will you guys please pray for me? I'm not really feeling that well," she said as she tested positive for the coronavirus.

Talking to NBC-affiliated WLWT, Short spoke about what it's been like to know she's fighting two hard battles."

"[When] I first found out that I was positive for COVID, I started crying because I thought I was going to die," the girl said.

On the upside, Short is feeling much better now and does not seem to have display severe symptoms of the virus, as per reports. The girl also decided to look at her situation in an optimistic way as she said, "I've had MRIs, seizures. There ain't nothing I can't do!"

Naomi Short Believes She Can Beat Cancer

From the beginning, the girl believed that she could beat her cancer battle, reported FOX 19. "I'm going to kick its butt," she said.

When asked how she stays positive despite the situation, she said: "I just think about, you know, how I've gotten through cancer? I think that if God has helped me this far through cancer, he's not going to stop."

Continuing to smile, laugh, and fight seemed to be the second nature for Short. Not much scares her either. The Butler County Sheriff's Department deputized her. Short was made a "special deputy" as the community effort to support her and her family.

The girl has been through nine brain surgeries and 30 rounds of radiation. Given her COVID-19 diagnosis, she was also put on some anesthesia for the lengthy scan.

The good news did arrive to the Shorts when they found that Naomi Short's cancer has not spread and the bit of cancer still present was also shrinking.

Melissa hopes that another scan of her daughter would put cancer fears behind them. But, for now, the family will have to wait.