“I remember when they told us she had blood cancer. My husband just let out a primal scream – and I dropped to the ground”
Leukaemia can strike at any time – even Christmas Day
— and it leaves families devastated
Will you send a gift and help the Leukaemia Foundation raise $150,000 to find better treatments for blood cancer?
The last hours of Christmas Day shouldn’t be spent in an emergency ward, wondering if your four-year-old will ever make it back home to open her presents.
But that’s exactly where the Pappas family found themselves three years ago.
The joy of Christmas Day soon turned to heartbreak when mum Jodie had her worst fears confirmed:
“I remember the doctor telling us that India had blood cancer. I just fainted. I fainted a couple of times that night. And I remember the noise my husband made…just this primal like scream.”
India was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and her family feared she would never see another Christmas.
Even using the best treatments available today, India’s journey would be long and traumatic – with no certain outcome
The prognosis for many blood cancers is still very poor, and until research finds better treatments, the pain and suffering will continue.
A kind gift from you today will help fund vital research from brilliant scientists all over Australia that can lead to a real breakthrough.
Children like India are being diagnosed all too often, leaving families devastated – not just on Christmas Day, but every day of the year.
Mum Jodie recalls how her family’s world was suddenly turned upside down:
“India was white as a ghost – so different from a normal four-year-old at Christmas – she didn’t even smile.”
India began chemotherapy straight away and, understandably, had a very hard time coping, as mum Jodie explains:
“It was just such a struggle. Every time she went to theatre for a lumbar puncture [a needle inserted into the spinal cord during chemotherapy], four of us had to restrain her. There were so many blood-curdling screams. It was absolutely heartbreaking.”
The pain and trauma must have been unbearable for a four-year-old who had just been looking forward to opening her presents and playing with her friends.
But what is most distressing about India’s story is that it shows how blood cancers do not discriminate – it can happen to anyone, young or old, in any place at any time.
Blood cancers are amongst the most common cancers – and the hardest to beat. Chemotherapy kills healthy cells as well as cancer cells, and it’s no guarantee of survival.
While I’m proud to say that progress for better treatments has been made thanks to research, there’s still so much more to do.
That’s why I’m so thankful for the tireless efforts of researchers like PhD student Matthew Witkowski.
Through a grant funded by Leukaemia Foundation, Matthew is trying to understand how a gene called IKAROS controls how well someone responds to chemotherapy. As he explains:
“Many children will respond well to therapy, but a proportion will experience a relapse of the disease. My job is to find out why.”
Matthew is so passionate about helping people with leukaemia that he took time out to meet young India during one of the Leukaemia Foundation’s fundraising events:
“Her mum, Jodie, was right there with her, and she is one hell of a mum. I couldn’t imagine how hard it’d be to experience what they did. The whole Pappas family are a brilliant bunch of people. They’ve been through a lot, but they are extremely positive and caring. India is a beautiful young girl – I’m very proud to know such a champion.”
And I’m proud to count Matthew as one of the researchers funded by Leukaemia Foundation who are committed to making life less painful for those with blood cancer.
But Matthew’s outstanding efforts are only possible thanks to donations from kind- hearted people like you.
After two long years, India celebrated her last dose of Chemotherapy in February. Now 7 years old, I find it incredible that fighting this disease has already taken almost a third of her young life.
But mum Jodie is very much looking forward to the family’s first Christmas since India’s treatment finished:
“Christmas Day for us is just all about friends and our family. We’re going to embrace the fact that we’ve still got her. We’re lucky we’ve still got her. She’s here and we can celebrate together.”
I know that when I sit down for lunch this Christmas surrounded by my loved ones, India and her family will be in my thoughts.
And I’ll be thankful for all those researchers like Matthew Witkowski who are working tirelessly to ensure we can all look forward to more Christmases together.
I would like to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Christmas,
Adrian Collins
Chief Executive Officer
Leukaemia Foundation of Australia