It broke Madison's heart to hear her daughter Isla say to her, "Mamma, I just want my 'kaemia' to go away."

Just weeks before her fifth birthday, Isla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She was admitted to Monash Children's Hospital for urgent treatment.

"It was such a shock; we were devastated. Looking at my sweet girl, I just wanted to pick her up and protect her from all the pain and suffering that she would have to go through," Madison said.

Suddenly instead of singing and playing princesses, Isla was in hospital. Her world was filled with the pain of surgery, chemo, needles and medicine.

"It was unbearable to see Isla go through so much pain and trauma. It's something that no child should have to endure," her mum said.

Isla is a big sister to three-year old Allegra and nine-month-old Theo. The girls are best friends and Allegra struggled to understand why her sister was in hospital all the time.

When hospital visits were severely restricted, Madison and dad Joshua said the family felt torn in two.

"It was so hard leaving my other children at home. Allegra was worried for Isla, so we had one scared child at home and another scared child in hospital."

Before cancer, Isla’s days were filed with ballet, dancing and singing. Her mum jokes that Isla often had five costume changes in a day to match her dancing mood!

For Isla, the long, lonely days in hospital felt a world away from those happy times - until she discovered Captain Starlight.

Amid the pain and loneliness of hospital and treatment, Captain Starlight was there with the fun and laughter Isla needed. Whenever the Captains visited her on the cancer ward, her face lit up.

"Smiling and laughing with Captain Starlight helped Isla forget about being a 'cancer kid'," her mum said.

Isla needed regular finger prick blood tests in hospital which she hated. Having Captain Starlight there to distract her made the world of difference.

As restrictions eased and Isla was well enough, she loved going to the Starlight Express Room to meet other kids in hospital. When Allegra visited, she loved it too and the girls would go together to play and paint.

Madison says the Starlight Express Room gives sick kids the chance to be 'normal little kids.'

"Whether they're playing video games, doing arts and crafts or meeting another little cancer friend, the Starlight Express Room helps them just be kids," she said.

During her months in hospital, Isla missed her family terribly. So when she found out the exciting news that she’d been granted her Starlight Wish, Isla wanted a fun experience they could share as a family.

Having discovered the TV show Bluey in hospital, Isla wanted a family adventure to Queensland to see a house just like Bluey's!

Isla loves taking photos, so asked for her very own camera to take on her wish to capture the happy moments forever. Isla’s Starlight Wish has given the family something positive to look forward to.

"Through Isla’s cancer journey there's been nothing that she can control. Her wish has given her the chance to have some control in her life. That's such a special gift and we can't wait for her 'Bluey-inspired' holiday!"

With Isla still needing ongoing treatment, Madison is so thankful Starlight is there them.

"Starlight brings that spark and joy back into Isla's life. I don't want to think about our hospital life without Starlight because they play such an important and special role in our cancer journey."