“I spent a lot of my time on and off crutches because my bones were so fragile that even something as simple as walking could cause them to break,” says Matilda.

Her body endured enormous strain.

She underwent years of treatment, including three types of chemotherapy and 32 surgeries to save her leg.  

Matilda had a feeding tube fitted. A port was put beneath her skin so her medical team could give her medicine without constant needles. She lost her hair.

During this time, doctors also removed part of her ovary to preserve her future fertility.  

Now aged 18, Matilda is focused on building a future while staying grounded in what matters most - family, resilience, and helping others through volunteering at art therapy programs.

She also shares her story through public speaking, hoping to help others feel less alone.  

Through this, Matilda found connection, purpose and healing.  

“They’re like small molecular ‘off switches’ that can be delivered directly to the tumour, sparing health cells,” she explains. 

She and her team are investigating a new, highly targeted approach to identify the genes that a particularly aggressive childhood cancer (neuroblastoma) needs to survive. Then, they design tiny molecular particles that silence these genes.     

It’s an approach that has the potential to be adapted for other childhood and adult cancers.   

The team’s ultimate goal is a precision medicine treatment that is more effective and far less toxic.