Nickolas, 12

When I grow up I want to be…
A leader of some sort, or maybe a Policeman.

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In April 2021, instead of leading his peers as Primary School Captain, 12 year old Nickolas was undergoing intensive treatment to fight newly diagnosed Leukaemia. Long admired for his hard work and commitment in schooling, his determination translated to his cancer treatment, which impressed his family and treating teams. Nickolas underwent several rounds of chemotherapy to fight the leukemia, and thankfully, he is now considered to be in remission. Nickolas has just a couple more rounds of chemotherapy to go and will soon be officially considered an out-patient. Nickolas has had an incredible support system through this journey, with his father Christos sitting close by always, and his three adult siblings doing everything they can to support Nickolas and Christos.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino

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George, 10

When I grow up I want to be a…
Police Officer.

Ilyada, six

When I grow up I want to be a…
Police Officer too so that I can work with George.

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10 year old George has been calling the RCH home since 2019, when he was admitted to the Koala Ward with complications related to his heart. 12 months later, along came Ilayda, and the two have been inseparable since. Referring to themselves as brother and sister, their favourite thing at the RCH is their teachers, with who they get to do art, experiments, cooking and more. While the journey ahead for these two is full of unknowns, they are just happy to be going through it together.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino

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Dotti, six weeks

When I grow up…
My Mum thinks that I will probably rule the world in some way.

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Born at just 26 weeks gestation, and weighing less than 500 grams, Dotti Hogan is fondly known by her family as a unicorn. After the loss of her twin sister Daphne at birth, Dotti is not only surviving, she’s thriving. Dotti arrived at the RCH at just four days old, where she was quickly transferred to Butterfly, the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Since then, Dotti has undergone three surgeries, as well as two laser surgeries on her eyes. Both Dotti and her mum Melissa are currently being supported by the expert teams on Butterfly. She will stay there until she is strong enough to go home, where her two very eager big sisters, Daisy and Delilah, will be waiting to greet her at the door.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino

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Georgia, 11

When I grow up I want to be a…
Veterinarian.

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11 year old Georgia has been battling cancer on and off since she was first diagnosed at age two. Since then, she has relapsed three times, undergone brain surgery, two lung surgeries, 54 rounds of radiation to the pelvis, brain and lungs, and four additional surgeries to remove lumps. Despite all of this, “she has done everything with a smile, she has never questioned it” said Robyn, Georgia’s very proud mother.

Thanks to the incredible support of teams at the RCH, Georgia has now been cancer free for the longest period since her initial diagnosis in 2013, and was able to stop treatment in July 2021.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino

Albie, five

When I grow up I want to be a…
Singer.

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Cheeky and mischievous Albie is a bit of a celebrity on the RCH Campus. Albie was transferred to the RCH shortly after birth due to breathing difficulties, and clinicians quickly discovered a series of health complications caused by an unknown genetic condition. Albie is currently supported by 13 different departments at the RCH, who are working together to care for Albie and his family, as well as seeking to establish a confirmed diagnosis. Despite all of these hurdles so early on in life, Albie remains an incredibly happy and bright boy who loves to stop and look at everything around the RCH, from the florist and gift shop, to all the sites along Main Street.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

Julia, 15

When I grow up I want to be a…
Designer of some sort. Fashion design, interior design or garden design.

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After complaining of blurry vision, a trip to the optometrist led Julia and her family straight to the RCH, where the expert teams undertook a series of tests. Shortly afterwards, Julia, aged 11 at the time, was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma – a tumour that sits near the pituitary gland in the brain. Since Julia’s diagnosis, she has undergone two craniotomies, six weeks of radiation, and has spent time in both Cockatoo and Rosella. While the tumor is still there, under the close watch of the ophthalmology, endocrinology, and neurology teams at the RCH, and with the use of synthetic hormones, Julia has been able to develop like any other teenager.

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Photo by Jemma Gauci​

Catherine (Sika), six

When I grow up I want to be…
A space man, and I want to float and swim in space.

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Catherine is full of smiles and vibrancy, yet she had an uncertain start to life. When Catherine was born, she would cry uncontrollably for days on end, and there seemed to be nothing that her parents could do to make it stop. It would go away on its own, and then it would come back. Despite her parents seeking professional opinions and numerous tests, it was not until Catherine’s mother, Lydia, fell pregnant again, that they would receive a diagnosis for their little girl. After testing both parents’ blood, it was discovered that Catherine had sickle cell anaemia. Over the past three years, the family have worked to manage Catherine’s condition, and she’s now thriving.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

Nicholas, 13

When I grow up I want to be…
A doctor so I can learn about what actually goes on inside the body and how things work.

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In September 2018, the Cresp Family received the devastating diagnosis that Nic, then 10, had a rare and highly aggressive brain tumour. Within hours of the diagnosis, the family met with Dr. Jordan Hansford and the specialist teams at the RCH to discuss the options available to Nic. Nic underwent six weeks of radiation, and was able to enrol in a specialised immunotherapy clinical trial to fight the cancer. Despite a couple of hurdles along the way, Nic finished treatment in October 2019, and now, in 2021 he is able to focus on being a regular 13 year old kid.

The Kelpie Garden, pictured behind Nic, is an incredibly special place for the Cresp family, as it was where they could bring the family dog to see Nic while he received treatment.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

Suhail, 14

When I grow up I want to be…
A midwife.

Harry, 16

When I grow up I want to be…
A nurse, after my time in hospital I feel like that is what I want to pursue.

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Brothers Harry and Suhail have grown up sharing many things in life, including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. Usually diagnosed at birth, it wasn’t until Suhail was born that clinicians discovered that Harry, too, had the condition. Together the pair spend approximately eight weeks per year in hospital, and over that time, the Singh family have built a very strong relationship with the hospital. Over the past 14 years, the whole family has received support from the RCH teams, including from the staff and social workers who went above and beyond to help the family apply for permanent residency, offering any support they could in the process. The nurses in the respiratory ward have also inspired Harry’s passion for nursing and have supported the boys to keep in touch with their learning and their schools. These investments in the Singh family’s personal lives is what makes the RCH stand out to them.

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Photo by Jemma Gauci​

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Ziggy, three

When I grow up I want to be…
Like my Daddy. 

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In 2020, Ziggy’s parents, James and Vass noticed some worrying changes in their little boy’s eye. After a series of tests and scans at the RCH, the clinical team discovered a five centimeter benign tumor growing behind Ziggy’s eye. He was immediately booked in for surgery, and after two major operations and a treatment at the hospital, the tumor was successfully removed. Thanks to the expert care of the RCH teams and Dr Jonathan Burge, Ziggy is now back home with his family, and is only required to come to the hospital for six monthly check-ups to ensure Ziggy’s growth and recovery remains on track.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

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Dashiell, 11

When I grow up I want to be a…
Cricketer.

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After sustaining a serious head injury in February 2021, Dash was flown from Albury to the RCH to receive urgent care. He immediately underwent emergency surgery and spent 19 days in an induced coma, followed by numerous additional surgeries and procedures. During his hospital stay, music therapy was vital to his rehabilitation and recovery. Dash was able to return home after a five month stay, which was celebrated with a guard of honor by teams across the RCH.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

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Daisy, ten months

When I grow up…
My Mum thinks that I will be the boss!

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After a healthy pregnancy with no complications, it was a big shock to the Westwood family when Daisy was not breathing at birth. She was immediately rushed to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, where Daisy spent the first three months of her life. Daisy has been diagnosed with a number of health conditions which impact her ability to breathe on her own, her strength and development. Through the help of the RCH, Daisy has a tracheostomy to help her breathe and has made incredible progress in growth and development.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

Piper, six

When I grow up I want to be…
A princess.

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Piper’s first seizure at just 17 months old shocked the whole family. She was immediately rushed to the RCH, and within four hours, and after 27 seizures, Piper was placed into an induced coma. As the seizures continued, and no apparent cause could be found, parents Sara and Heath opted to undertake full genome sequencing for Piper, and clinicians discovered a rare syndrome that causes the early onset of severe epilepsy. Together with her parents, teams across the RCH have worked to support Piper to give her a better quality of life, including advanced treatment through a vagal nerve stimulus implant, and providing support through the Hospital in the Home program.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino

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Tyler, six

When I grow up I want to…
Help Daddy in the office.

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At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tyler had a fever that would not come down, he was pale and had breathing difficulties. After a series of tests the Lee family received the shocking news that Tyler had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Tyler was admitted to Kookaburra, where he began treatment to fight the cancer. Tyler has responded well to treatment and is now in maintenance phase, returning to the hospital every four weeks for treatment.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

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Malu, eight months

When I grow up…
My brother thinks that I will be a construction worker because I already likes to build with wooden blocks.

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Cheeky and adventurous Malu is enjoying his new freedom after spending his first few weeks of life receiving life-saving care at the RCH. Shortly after birth, clinicians discovered Malu had a rare and potentially life-threating metabolic condition, which meant his body couldn’t process proteins properly. He was quickly sent to the RCH, where he has been supported by the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and Cockatoo Teams. Though the development of a care plan with training and support for his family, Malu is now a happy and healthy baby, and only comes to hospital if he becomes unwell.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

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Harrison, nine

When I grow up I want to be a…
Basketball Player. 

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Harrison – or H as he likes to be known – is all kinds of famous. He’s famous for being friends with AFL player Dyson Heppell and his team the Essendon Bombers, he’s famous for his connection with Hugh Jackman, and also he’s famous for being the only child in Australia with disabling pansclerotic morphea, the rarest form of scleroderma. H was first diagnosed in 2016, and has since undergone two bone marrow transplants, including one from his brother, Miller and is now receiving apheresis treatment. H is supported by the Oncology and Palliative Care teams at the RCH who are committed to keeping him comfortable, smiling and, when possible, singing.

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Photo by Alvin Aquino​

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