Five-year-old Izzy is fascinated by planes. Her dad Matt has a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) job so she would love to fly in the sky "like daddy does for work."
Sadly, much of Izzy’s world has been confined to hospital since she was just two years old.
Izzy had been unwell for about six weeks, with a limp that came and went, fevers and a rash. After multiple visits to the GP, her mum Amy was still worried.
“Being an ED Nurse for 13 years, I knew something wasn't right but I didn't want to seem to be overreacting,” she said.
Further tests in hospital revealed Amy’s worse fears. Tragically, Izzy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
“We were a mess. It was a very dark and uncertain time. We were faced with the fear of potentially losing our child; something that no parent should ever have to go through,” Izzy’s mum said. "When you get told your child has cancer, you are faced with the reality that you may live longer than your two-year-old.”
The family’s world was completely upturned as they grappled with the shock. Izzy was admitted to the children’s hospital for immediate treatment.
“Suddenly, I went from looking after other people to being a patient’s mum and my two-year daughter a cancer patient.”
Izzy endured 801 days of gruelling cancer treatment. She had 21 anaesthetics, 21 lumbar punctures and countless cannulas, needles, tests and scans in the scary, unfamiliar world of hospital.
Amy had to stop work to care for Izzy and dad Matt kept working to support the family financially.
“Our routine went out the window,” Amy said. “We lived in survival mode for 2.5 years. watching and monitoring, being hypervigilant about temperatures and side effects of treatment.”
Amid all the stress and pain, Captain Starlight helped bring some fun and laughter to Izzy’s days. The Captains helped turn Izzy’s hospital experience around and have some happy, positive moments amongst so much sadness.
When Izzy had to spend Christmas in hospital, the Captain Starlights brought some much-needed Christmas cheer with fun gifts and games.
“Without Starlight in hospital it would be so much more traumatic,” mum said. The fun and positivity helps kids feel like they aren't in hospital, even if only for a minute. Often parents don't have the capacity to make it fun, so to have others bring smiles and happiness to our kids, that's pretty special."
During treatment, Amy said they had a ‘hermit type lifestyle’ to help keep Izzy safe. Izzy’s treatment meant she was immunocompromised so was not going out doing all the usual activities or socialising.
Sometimes Izzy can be unsure around people and Amy said it was great that the Captain Starlights cater to all kids. Having the Starlight Express Room in hospital helped give Izzy a safe place to chat quietly with the Captains or play with the arts and crafts depending on how she was feeling.
“We would go to the Starlight Express Room so that Izzy's hospital stay was not all pain and fear. It helped to make it more positive and to ‘dilute the negativity.’ The Starlight Express Room helps to minimise trauma for kids and creates positive memories of hospital,” Amy says.
Izzy’s treatment phase finished earlier this year, but it has taken its toll - she had to learn how to walk again twice and she still isn’t as physically as capable as the other kids in her class. But she’s getting stronger every day and is a super determined little girl. She loves riding her bike and doing cross country practice.
Izzy is loving playing and having fun outdoors again and is now looking forward to an even greater adventure with her Starlight Wish.
Throughout her treatment, Izzy wanted to go on a plane just like her daddy does and finally her wish has come true! Izzy and her family are flying to Tasmania to have a fun campervan holiday. It will be such a special time for Izzy and her new baby brother William to be together, and Izzy “loves the idea of being able to stop and sleep wherever they choose.”
Amy said, "Izzy is so excited about her wish and she deserves all the happiness. Through Izzy's treatment, we’ve had to take life too seriously, so this is a way for us to find fun again and for Izzy to make some nice memories after all the horrible things she's had to go through as such a small child."
