If there was ever going to be a story to steal your heart, it’s Lucy’s. She is just 11-years-old and already her life has been tortured with more sadness, pain and loss than someone seven times her age.
Two years ago, cancer robbed Lucy of her childhood and filled her little body with more chemicals than she could bear; so much so it almost took her life.
This once bubbly little girl was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells and bone marrow, which are part of the body’s defense against infection and disease.
Her diagnosis was considered “high risk” and so she required a higher dose of chemotherapy, which did not agree with Lucy’s body.
She had severe allergic reactions to her treatment when administered through a port in her arm and instead had to have the drug injected through a large, very painful needle into her leg muscles.
At one point Lucy’s condition reached crisis point when her lungs collapsed and had to be drained. She spent long periods in a wheelchair and now has permanent crush fractures in her spine.
As well as needing ongoing physiotherapy, Lucy still gets severe leg pain and headaches and has to be on permanent painkillers.
As a mum, this story cuts deep. It’s just not right that kids like Lucy have to endure so much “” just to have a chance of surviving. But you can help, please make a donation towards cancer research today, and help find less painful ways to save our children.
This brave little girl had to leave her childhood behind and grow up very quickly to cope with her cancer diagnoses. Lucy says the things she missed the most while undergoing treatment was going to school, hanging out with friends, her dogs and her chickens.
The diagnosis took its toll on the family as well with her mum, Julie giving up her job to care for Lucy.
“I got to work and I wasn’t too bad the first morning but the second morning I went in and I just couldn’t cope with it, so I ended up resigning,” Julie says.
One of the hardest moments for Lucy during her ordeal was watching the friends she made in hospital die of the same disease she was working to fight.
Julie said Lucy had was especially close to a girl staying in the bed next to hers. Tragically, that little girl relapsed and died.
Julie said she took Lucy to the funeral and that they were glad they went, but losing friends to cancer had been tough on Lucy. She said after her friend died, Lucy became withdrawn and would sit and stare out the window, not talking to anyone.
Tragically, Lucy has since lost two more friends to cancer who were having treatment at the same time.
These days, Lucy is doing much better and is even back at home with her family. She finishes treatment in April next year, but will remain on oral chemotherapy every day.
She still visits the hospital for chemo infusions as well as ongoing treatment for her spine once a month.
Her mum says Lucy is gradually getting back to her bubbly old self, but the crush fractures in her spine mean she can’t do all the things that children her age do, like skipping or going on the trampoline, or she could end up in a wheelchair.
You can help prevent children like Lucy from enduring such pain by making a donation towards cancer research today.
