Alira is preparing for her second open heart surgery and remains waiting for a call-up from the cardiac team at Royal Children’s Hospital, which could come any moment now.

All she hopes was to see a couple of Bulldogs players once she was in recovery.

Doctors, nurses and hospitals – even X-rays – terrify the Ballarat junior Bulldogs’ fan.

Alira’s mum Rohini Dobell said a lot of the anxiety stemmed from changes to her PEG feeding tube that she needs for an oesophagus condition.

Alira had her first open heart surgery at four months old but Ms Dobell said this latest surgery, Alira’s fifth overall, had been pretty unexpected.

Tissue had built up under her pulmonary valve and she needed surgery to both remove the excess tissue and to repair the valve.

“She had only been going in to see specialists for throat issues but then, things changed quicker than expected for her heart,” Ms Dobell said.

“Alira was getting extremely tired and would come home from outings and sleep for four hours. It was a lot of sleep for a girl who hated sleeping during the day.”

When the call for surgery comes, Alira will make sure her beloved plush Bulldogs’ mascot Woofa goes with her, to help take care of her. 

Alira keeps Bulldogs books by her bed for night-time reading with her mum, including player lists, and posters on her wall of her AFL and AFLW heroes.

Marcus Bontempelli is her favourite player because he wears number four – her age.

Alira also knows Lachie Hunter’s number is seven and captain Bob Murphy wears number two – Murphy’s number is the same as her younger sister Sadie’s age.

“She is in love with the Bulldogs,” Ms Dobell said. 

“We’ve been to one game this season and a few last year but we watch them all on television.

“If her father and I are talking about the game, she’ll always say ‘Mum and Dad shush, the footy’s on’. 

“She always wants to high-five the mascots when they come out on the field, even though we usually sit upstairs.”

Alira has been a Bulldog since birth, just like her mum and sister, and they have a family membership – even though her dad is a Hawthorn supporter.

Ms Dobell said Alira was so excited to be part of the Bulldogs’ guard of honour when players ran out for a match last year.

It is unclear how long Alira will need to stay in hospital after her surgery.

Ms Dobell said it all depended on how quickly she recovers.

Their goal was to get her more used to doctors and nurses and realising they were there to help her, not hurt her.

Alira has a special ‘Sophie’ doll that, while not in Bulldogs colours yet, allows doctors and nurses to show her bandages and needles on Sophie first, so they seem a little less daunting.

Sophie has a chest scar and PEG tube drawn on her body, just like Alira has got.

The doll proved a handy companion in a full day’s pre-admission testing to help prepare Alira for surgery.

In the meantime, while awaiting surgery, Alira has fast adapted to kindergarten.

Ms Dobell said the kinder experience worried her early on, rather than Alira, who mostly had to get used to being in a larger group of children.

“It’s amazing how four years olds are so embracing and accepting of children with special needs,” Ms Dobell said.

“Alira has to wear a backpack for her PEG tube and a couple of other kids wanted to start wearing backpacks all the time to be like her.

“Now most of the kids want to wear backpacks – and all the kids know Alira and want to say hello to her all the time.”

Alira has an aide to work with her and help monitor her condition during the day but otherwise is an active four-year-old.

She is unable to eat, but when there are special occasions and food at kinder, like cupcakes, Alira will choose some to save for when her sister Sadie comes to pick her up.

Ms Dobell said the family had bought books from the United States that helped with health awareness, including a story about a child with a PEG tube, which helped to normalise her situation.

“They say, I’m special because I’ve got this,” Ms Dobell said. “I still play, I still talk, but this is just something extra special about me.”

Alira would always be a cardiac patient and was likely to wear the PEG tube for a long time. But Ms Dobell said it was amazing to see how much Alira had improved in her learning and in socialising at kinder and playing with her sister Sadie.