It has been a tough but incredible recovery for young Leighnae Lowe, who was 6 when doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta discovered a tumour in a critical area of her brain.

After an uncommon and potentially risky operation, Leighnae is flourishing through her ongoing treatment.

“She’s doing really well — we had a scare at her last scan, when the doctor thought her tumour had grown,” said her mother, Wendy Lowe. Recently, though, a more in-depth check showed no growth, but the watch has not been easy for Mrs Lowe and her husband Randy — though they count themselves blessed.

Now a straight-A, grade-three student at the Bermuda Institute, where her favourite subjects are maths and the Bible, eight-year-old Leighnae has a passion for sign language and jazz dance.

“I love it,” said Leighnae, who also learnt to play checkers while the lights were out during Bermuda’s brush with Hurricane Joaquin.

Two years ago, a tumour that had formed on Leighnae’s optic nerve was discovered as doctors prepared her for routine surgery to correct what was thought to be a “lazy eye”.

In the end, after a six-hour operation at Lebonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, neurosurgeon Frederick Boop removed 90 per cent of Leighnae’s tumour.

It was a rare procedure that Dr Boop has used for teaching other surgeons. Meanwhile, with the remainder of the tumour too dangerous to operate on, Leighnae has received regular MRI scans ever since to keep track of it.

Leighnae underwent more surgery in January to correct her right eye, though her vision there is expected to remain blurred.

She has had to wear an eye patch over her other eye for four hours each day to train her brain into using what she calls her “special” eye.

“I don’t really like to wear it, but if I keep doing it, it’s going to be two hours a day,” she said.

“I can see much better now, so there is a lesson for all patients out there. When you are firm with your children, it helps them.”

Children in her classroom know they have to keep their voices down around her, because she is still prone to headaches.

After school, Leighnae likes to play with her brother Shelton Dowling, 14, and since May 23 she has had a little sister, Zipporah.

Physiotherapy also keeps her busy: “When you get it done with, you don’t have to do it later, and then you can have as much free time as you want,” she explained.

For now, her wish when she grows up is to be a vet or a teacher: Leighnae “likes to take care of things”, her mother said. She is also an usher at the Midland Heights church, where she is keen to join the choir.

Saying she was grateful to the doctor who discovered her tumour, as well as to God, Leighnae added: “The one thing I have learnt is to always be happy.”