Lotte is a cheeky, cheerful four-year-old who loves to entertain and make people laugh, especially her brother Tom and sister Tilly.
But Lotte is going through something that no four-year-old should have to endure.
When Mindy looked into baby Lotte’s eyes at just 12 weeks old and noticed a white shadow, intuition told her something was seriously wrong.
She was rushed for emergency tests and later that day, doctors delivered the news. Lotte had cancer.
“One minute we were living our lives adjusting to having a newborn. The next minute we were thrust into the world of paediatric cancer. Everything happened so fast,” said Lotte’s Mum Mindy.
Lotte battled through intensive chemotherapy, radiotherapy and countless procedures and treatments for retinoblastoma. For a few years, it seemed to work.
Last year, Lotte’s doctor noticed damage to her right eye. Her eye was removed and sent for testing.
It was then her family was dealt another devastating blow; Lotte was diagnosed with Stage II Retinoblastoma.
“We were shocked, bewildered and scared,” said Mindy.
Following diagnosis, Lotte spent weeks in hospital with a variety of complications. Mindy and Dad Paul took time off work, while siblings Tom and Lilly worried about their little sister.
For Lotte, her treatment means regular hospital stays, fear, painful procedures and missing precious moments of her childhood.
Of all the challenges Lotte has faced, the weekly cleaning of the tube in her chest frightens her the most.
“It is hugely traumatic for Lotte. She is so incredibly scared of the whole process,” said Mindy.
Thankfully, Starlight is there. Now Captain Starlight stays by Lotte’s side, playing music and distracting her from the pain and distress of her treatment.
“Lotte has hugely improved and the whole process is becoming less traumatic for her. Captain Starlight has been a life-saver!”
Mindy says Starlight is a critical part of Lotte’s care. Captain Starlight provides positive distraction during scary, painful procedures while the Starlight Express Room gives Lotte a place to escape to do the things she loves like dancing and singing when she can’t leave the hospital.
“Lotte’s eyes light up when we see the Captains wandering around the hospital and when we hear their ukuleles coming down the halls. Starlight brings so much joy to kids who have to go through so much trauma and pain.”
“It’s hard to say what hospital life would be without Starlight,” continues Mindy. “They’ve made such a huge impact on Lotte and all the difficult elements of her treatment but also on our whole family.
