The Windsor community is rallying behind an eight-year-old girl whose life was suddenly upended by a rare brain cancer diagnosis last fall.
A Sudden Change in Vision
On November 11, 2025, Lainey McMahon's life changed in an instant. While playing at her family's home in South Walkerville with her brother Eric, she realized she could not see out of her right eye. The sudden vision loss during a simple game was the first alarming sign of a serious illness.
"She couldn't see anything," said her father, Alex McMahon. He and his wife, Stefani, shared a look of immediate concern, fearing the worst. Lainey was rushed to Windsor Regional Hospital, where a CT scan late that evening revealed a two-centimetre tumour pressing on her optic nerve.
"I was hoping for a logical explanation," Alex McMahon told the Windsor Star. "But then I saw the doctor walk toward me and I could tell the worst news was on its way. It crushes you."
Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
The next day, the family travelled to Children's Hospital in London for further tests. An MRI showed the cancer had spread further, with lesions affecting her pituitary gland, other areas of her brain, and her spine. Doctors diagnosed Lainey with germinoma, a rare but highly treatable form of brain cancer that typically responds well to chemotherapy and radiation, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Explaining the diagnosis to their daughter was one of the family's most heartbreaking moments. "She asked me if she was going to die," Alex recalled. "I told her, 'You're not going to die. That's not what's going to happen.'"
Lainey has since completed two rounds of an intense chemotherapy regimen. Each cycle involves three days of treatment followed by 18 days of recovery. During treatment weeks, the family stays at the Ronald McDonald House in London, returning to Windsor for a couple of weeks when her condition allows. This process is expected to continue for roughly three and a half months.
A Brave Warrior's Spirit
Despite the challenging treatments, Lainey's spirit remains unbroken. "She's been responding really well to treatment," her father reported. She has regained about 40 percent of the vision in her right eye. "She's not letting it slow her down—our girl is still smiling and we're proud of the brave, amazing warrior that she is."
Her medical team describes her as the "toughest kid" they've ever met. The tumour damaged Lainey's pituitary gland, which controls hormone production. She now takes four daily medications, including hydrocortisone, which must be carefully monitored to prevent dangerous drops in cortisol levels.
In a significant next step, Lainey is enrolled in a clinical trial that will require six weeks of radiation therapy in Jacksonville, Florida. While the family may stay at a Ronald McDonald House there, the travel and related expenses are not covered, presenting a new challenge.
The McMahon family's journey highlights the sudden impact of a pediatric cancer diagnosis and the resilience of a young girl facing it with courage, supported by her family and her community in Windsor.
