YOUR DONATION WILL HELP GIVE KIDS LIKE RILEY THEIR CHILDHOOD BACK

Riley was diagnosed at 8 months old with Retinoblastoma, a cancer that forms in the retinas of the eyes.

Within a few days of this diagnosis, doctors told her parents that they needed to remove her right eye.

After the initial surgery, she went through six months of chemotherapy.

Right at the start of the treatment, someone in the treatment team mentioned Camp Quality and mum Demi immediately registered.  

 “Family Camp has meant we could have a break from all of the hospital trips and enjoy time as a family to reconnect and find some time for Riley to have some fun and to be a kid.”  Says mum Demi.

"It was one of the first times she could be around kids, and it was so nice to meet other parents who understood what we were going through. Even though Riley had more of a unique diagnosis, there was still a sense of community."

YOUR DONATION WILL HELP GIVE KIDS LIKE RAYA THEIR CHILDHOOD BACK

In February 2021 Raya was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

After almost one year of gruelling treatment and a bone marrow transplant, Raya required strict isolation to make sure she didn’t contract any infections. This meant she had to be isolated in her hospital room for nearly three months and then a further three months at home.

"It was incredibly difficult. At one stage we had two kids at home remote learning, my husband trying to work at home, and I was at the hospital with Raya most of the time. My husband and two other children barely saw me."

As Raya's health gradually improved, Grace searched for ways to support her outside the hospital.

Not long after registering for Camp Quality online, the family were off on their first Family Camp at Taronga Zoo Dream Night.

"It was amazing for Raya because your everyday person doesn't necessarily understand leukaemia and it gave her an opportunity to make friends and connect with people who had had similar experiences."

YOUR DONATION WILL HELP GIVE KIDS LIKE SOPHIE THEIR CHILDHOOD BACK

Sophie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was just three years old.

Bubbly little Sophie, spent 795 days going through relentless cancer treatment.

For Sophie’s mum, Amanda, the diagnosis hit too close to home. Amanda was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 14 and also went through chemotherapy. That was after she lost her own mother to cancer when she was just nine years old.

Because of her own cancer experience,   which was very isolating and lonely, Amanda was by Sophie’s side for every part of her treatment.

“As a parent, you just want to do anything for your child.”

Following Sophie’s treatment, Amanda knew that Camp Quality was exactly what her kids needed to get their childhoods back.

“We can’t afford luxuries anymore. And Camp Quality have got these holidays where we can just escape for a week, and we don’t have to pay for accommodation. It’s really nice to be able to just let the kids run wild, and they meet other people essentially going through the same thing.''