An Australian family who travelled to Canada in order to legally access cannabis oil treatment could soon be forced to return home, where the life-changing medication is outlawed.

Tabetha and Georgia-Grace Fulton, 13 and 8, both suffer from a degenerative lung disease so rare that it doesn鈥檛 have a name. Their mother, Bobby-Jo, brought the girls to Victoria, B.C., so they could access the cannabis oil treatment after a successful 鈥 and illegal 鈥 12-week trial in Australia.

The health benefits from taking cannabis oil were astounding, the girls say. They went from taking heavy doses of steroids and being unable to stay awake for more than 45 minutes, to being able to walk around all day without oxygen tanks.

鈥淚 feel amazing being on the cannabis oil,鈥 Tabetha told CTV News Channel on Thursday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been life-changing, really.鈥

Her sister agreed: 鈥淚鈥檓 more energized. It鈥檚 just amazing,鈥 Georgia-Grace said.

Each day, the girls take two millilitres of cannabis oil which doesn鈥檛 contain the psychoactive component THC, the chemical that could make the children feel 鈥渉igh.鈥

But their days on the drug could be numbered. Their six-month stay in Canada is nearing an end, leaving the Fultons with a difficult choice: stay in Canada to continue treatment, or return home and go back on steroids.

But the family is hoping to carve out a third option 鈥 to return to Australia with legal exemption from pot laws, allowing the sisters to continue treatment in the comfort of their home.

To build a case for the Australian government, the Fultons are working alongside National Access Cannabis (NAC), an alternative treatment centre in Victoria, B.C., that advocates for cannabis-based medication. They have the girls working with a pediatric lung specialist, a pharmacist, and Health Canada to collect information for their pitch.

鈥淲e鈥檙e continuing to monitor the progress of the children,鈥 said Alex Abellan, founder of the NAC. 鈥淲e鈥檙e sharing all the information we have with our physician and pharmacist to the government. We鈥檙e also lobbying the health minister鈥檚 office and the prime minister鈥檚 office in Australia.鈥

Since the girls began treatment, their day-to-day lives changed drastically, Abellan insists.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 take them out to a restaurant, we were walking around with tanks, and they had to be back within 45 minutes to an hour,鈥 he said of their experience before the treatment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 ridiculous the life that these children were living.鈥

Now, Abellan says, Georgia-Grace has enough strength to pummel a punching bag.

鈥淚 wish you could see a before and after, it鈥檚 amazing,鈥 he said.

They recognize that their chances are slim, but the girls鈥 first hope is to be back at home with their friends.

鈥淚t鈥檚 where I was born, raised, and it鈥檚, well, my home. I would love to be able to be healthy and be home,鈥 Tabetha said.

If their pitch is rejected, there鈥檚 no plan in motion to stay in Canada, their mother says, and they haven鈥檛 applied to extend their visit.

鈥淛ust got to keep our fingers crossed that they鈥檒l let us do it,鈥 Bobby-Jo Fulton said. 鈥淥therwise they鈥檙e back on the steroids.鈥

In the meantime, Abellan insists that Canada should conduct more studies into cannabis as treatment to help children like the Fulton girls.

鈥淲e need to do more research, get some clinical trials 鈥 [get] physicians more educated on cannabis, and spread the word so that other children with lung disease can be helped.鈥

With files from CTV Victoria