Katie Chinnery

Support my Big Walk for Little Kids

23.08.2024 - I received a phone call  while waiting in the line at my local Spudshed. The pathology results were supposed to take a couple of weeks, not a couple of days. It was Lymphoma. What was that? I had never heard of it. We were told to pack a bag and go to Perth Children's Hospital that night. It would be another few days to get a CT, MRI, PET scan and a Bone marrow aspirate before we knew what type of Lymphoma. B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. The main site was in her arm, but it was throughout her body and in her bone marrow. Alice had a chemo port insert to her chest and a Nasal Gastric tube to deliver her oral meds. This treatment will last for 2.5 years. It's treated the same way as childhood leukaemia. We are starting Maintenance in September and Alice has tolerated the chemo treatment and has had few complications. I have lost count the number of GA's, Lumbar punctures, blood tests and chemotherapies. The first part of her treatment we can't be more than an hour away from the hospital. If she develops a fever it is a medical emergency. Alice will likely need to keep her chemo port and NG tube in for the entire 2.5 years. Camp Quality provides an opportunity for the whole family by providing a place for us to go somewhere within an hour of the hospital but far enough away to let us not think about cancer for a short time.

I am walking this month, it would be great to make the 150km. We always have the chance of having to go into hospital so I am hoping we don't cross that bridge. making that goal would be a walk in the part compared to  medical procedures that Alice has to endure. 

Every day, 2 Australian families are given the heart-breaking news that their child has cancer.

This September during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I'm taking part in the Big Walk for Little Kids to bring fun, positivity and laughter back into the lives of little kids facing cancer.

Every dollar I raise will fund Camp Quaity's services and programs to help little kids who are dealing with their own diagnosis, or the diagnosis of a brother, sister, mum or dad.

Please support my BIG walk to give little kids and families the break from cancer they urgently need. As they say at Camp Quality "laughter is the best medicine", so please give generously so we can spread those smiles far and wide.

Thank you so much!