Mariann’s world fell apart when her 4-year-old was diagnosed with cancer.
Little Alex was diagnosed with a kidney cancer known as Wilms’ tumour when she was only 4.
Like many children with Wilms’ tumour, little Alex showed no symptoms until her cancer had already grown and spread.
By the time she was diagnosed, “Alex’s kidney was the size of a football, she needed chemo straight away,” Mariann explained. “My husband asked,
‘What if we don't do chemo?’
The doctor turned to us and said that if Alex didn't have treatment, she would have six months – then we would lose her.”
“Once Alex had her first chemo, she got really sick. She threw up everywhere; she had no control over her bowels, and had to go back into nappies at the age of four. She got ulcers in her mouth; I couldn’t brush her teeth, because she would scream. After six weeks she had her kidney removed.”
Even now, after everything this family have been through, their nightmare is still not over.
“We don’t know how badly she’ll be affected by her treatment, because it can take up to 10 years for damage to show. And because she has a mass near her heart that can’t be removed, she’s still not cancer-free.”
Every day, because of the kindness of people like you, Cancer Council NSW is investing in life-saving research to give Aussie kids like Alex the best chance of surviving cancer.
While the dedicated research teams you help fund are making amazing ground in vital cancer research, we urgently need more support to achieve the life-saving breakthroughs people with cancer need. The reality is that we cannot fund research like this without caring and compassionate people like you.
Please make a generous gift today, and support life-saving cancer research.
Cancer Council NSW is majority community funded, which means we rely on the generosity of caring and compassionate people like you.
Sadly, over 53,000 people are predicted to be diagnosed with cancer in NSW next year with around 16,000 deaths expected. Without major new investments in cancer prevention, early detection and patient care these numbers will rise.
This is why your support now is critical.
As Mariann herself put it:
“It would be wonderful to know that, if anything were to happen to Alex again, she has a better chance of survival. That other families going through cancer have that better chance, and their kids don’t have to go through what Alex went through. But we need the funds to actually do the research.”Your generosity today will provide support to our researchers and ensure there is support available for people who need it, when they need it, through our cancer support services.
Cancer Council FAQS
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Your generous donation will help fund Cancer Council's life-saving research, prevention and advocacy programs, and information and support services.
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Yes. Cancer Council NSW is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as an Income Tax Exempt Charity: Charitable Fundraising Authority No. 18521. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
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