An avid lover of animals, and Tim Faulkner superfan, 6-year-old Mackenna is a budding future zookeeper just like his hero!
As an extremely energetic kid who loves his life on the farm, Mack is also a sensitive soul who cares deeply about the things around him. His mum Jess says "he's also a social butterfly who is always up for a chat, particularly if the conversation is about animals and nature!"
What his parents Jess and Dan did not expect on his road to ruling the animal kingdom, was an experience with childhood cancer.
At four, Mack developed a swollen gland in his neck that continued to grow. The family's GP pushed for answers for Mack and when none of the specialists in town could offer a definitive answer, the GP referred Mack for a biopsy in Townsville, a five hour drive away.
Shockingly, Mack was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The family was told to make plans to travel again, this time to the closest children's hospital for treatment.
Together with their other sons Oliver 2, and Arthur, 6 months, Jess and Dan were forced to move away from their tight knit home-town, leaving their family and friends behind. Not knowing when they may be home again, they moved nearly 1000km away to begin Mack's treatment in Brisbane.
Over the following months, Mack faced surgery, and endless rounds of appointments, tests, and scans. As he endured three rounds of chemotherapy, Mack dearly missed all the things he loved the most - holding his animals, seeing his friends, and playing barefoot on the farm.
Under stress and with no local family support, managing three young boys was one of the trickiest parts of Mack’s hospital stay for Jess and Dan.
Thankfully, Captain Starlight was there to save the day!
"The Starlight Express Room was a haven for all of us," says Jess. "Spending so many hours at the hospital it gave the boys a place where they could just be kids and play, away from the four walls of the treatment rooms and medical equipment. The Captains brought so much joy and entertainment to the kids, which then gave us the break we needed."
The Starlight Express Room also proved a great incentive for Mack to get through his appointments and treatments. The promise of a visit to the Captains always helped Mack face the worst of his procedures.
While in hospital, Mack was also told he would be granted a Starlight Wish. Of course, Jess and Dan immediately knew this would be animal related!
Describing Mack's Starlight Wish to him as "the grand finale for his braveness", deciding on, planning, and imagining Mack's wish gave the whole family something positive to look forward to as he continued his treatment.
"We have been able to talk to Mack about this reward for the past two years," says Jess. "With everything he has been through, and all he has missed out on, being able to talk through his wish and what it means has helped him become more resilient. It has not only boosted his mental health, but also ours."
Mack's Starlight Wish was to be a zookeeper for the day, and to learn all he could about his favourite animals - frogs, lizards, snakes and turtles.
And where was the best place Starlight could possibly organise for Mack's zookeeper wish to come true? At the Australian Reptile Park of course!
Mack and his whole family travelled to NSW's Central Coast to see his Starlight Wish come true.
When the day of Mack's zoo visit finally arrived, he was bursting with excitement! This excitement went into overdrive when Mack and his family were met at the gates by none other than Tim Faulkner himself!!
Mack spent the day lapping up a VIP behind the scenes tour of the park, petting, feeding and holding the animals, and learning all about important conservation work.
It truly was the trip of a lifetime, and meant so much to Mack and his family after the trauma of his illness;
"This trip meant everything to us. With no medical reasons attached and no appointments, it was strictly for us to be together and enjoy every moment as a family, while watching our boy in his element."
To Starlight supporters, Jess would like to send the following message:
"We are an example of how supporters of Starlight are changing lives. When families are in the thick of a very difficult time, Starlight works wonders for kids and the people who love them by creating happiness and enhancing wellbeing. Thank you for your support."
