Emily's Journey in 2010 began on January 1st when in early hours of the morning she became suddenly very ill.
Later that day she was diagnosed with suffering Infant Accute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia...she was 4 days short of her first birthday & that of twin sister Jorja

This is not a complete journal as so much has happened that I have not recorded...I like to look at this as a work in progress, Emily's progress,as she moves toward full restoration of health & a long life ahead.

She began a high maintenance chemotherapy program on January 3rd 2010 this ended when Emily suffered a sudden downturn in health followed by a spinal paralysis on July 24 2010

She commenced a low maintenance chemotherapy program on August 17 2010. This will continue until January 3 2012 just two days before she & Jorja celebrate their 3rd birthday.

Today is January 5 in 2012 It is the twins 3rd birthday....yesterday Emily completed her treatment and is happily still in remission and growing stronger with each day. A journey no infant, child or family should be faced with but when life throws bad stuff your way then all you can do is fight back..I can never stress the importance of supporting fund raising for hospital foundations who do such amazing things in so many ways. Doctor Andrew Hallanan and the team of specialists who move heaven and earth to save children's lives at The Royal Children's Hospital of Brisbane with their research. This is not the end of the journey just another phase...Happy Birthday sweetheart xxxx

It is February 2013 and the twins reached their 4th birthday on January the 5th. It was the first one they had celebrated with Emily being well. Emily still remains in remission from Infant Accute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Two weeks ago she and twin Jorja commenced their education by finally going to Kindie. Now Emily now has her full immunity back her life can be as normal as all other healthy children. Her lungs which were effected by a fungus during chemotherapy in 2010 are still not as healthy as one would like but recently she underwent an intensive daily routine of physiotherapy, antibiotics and other drugs to try to clean out what remained of MRSA and Influenza. A further scope into her lungs procedure will be repeated in the next couple of months to see if it looks as good as we are hearing...no persistant wet cough. She continues with daily physio and weekly antibiotics until the middle of the year. Hopefully this will protect her from the usual bugs children pick up when in groups. Thankfully test revealed she wasn't suffering Cystic Fibrosis which was another concern of her Oncologists and Lung Specialists. I will continue to update as she progresses.


It is January 27 2014. Last year in 2013 was a mixed bag of ups and downs for the children. Both are now confirmed Asthmatics and that for Emily on top of the terrible MRSA she carried in one lung was of great concern, but again the marvellous teams at the RCH did all they could to make her well. A few invasive tests into her lungs, physio therapy and high doses of antibioticts until finally a break through....in August her lungs showed it was gone. She does however bear scars on the lung and that will be monitered. Kinder was a joy, they had a lovely year, finally able to spend their days with other children. Of course there were the usual shared bugs but finally at the end of the year they were growing healthier with lots of saltwater swims and trampoline exersize before it became too hot. Tomorrow on January 28 2014 they commence school....for them this will be wonderful but for us adults it means the end of an era of babies and I suspect tomorrow morning there will be a lot of tissues used not by them, but by us, the parents and grandparents as we watch them head toward independence.

Today is 16/12/2014
The day we have waited for to hear the words from her Oncologist... " Emily is officially considered CURED she has the normal life expectancy of any other child her age because she did not relapse in the first 5 years of treatment
Today is 2nd January 2015 and it was 5 yrs yesterday on New Years Day since Emily became ill."

January 1st 2016
As I have done each year since the beginning of Emily's journey on January 1st 2010 I add
her progress as her journey to what we hope will be a long and happy life free of care and full of health.
She remains wearing the badge that says she is cured after her now annual visit to her Oncologist.
Growing stronger in her ability to push through it's a great feeling to have those difficult days behind her. She and twin sister Jorja will celebrate their 7th birthday this Tuesday 5th. All good news to begin the year with.

January 1st 2017
Another year has passed with all good reports. Year two report after her annual visit to Oncology places her at 7 years cancer free. Then the next best news from her Respiratory doctors was her compromised lungs have all but healed themselves in this past quarter....on Thursday they celebrate their 8th birthday....time to celebrate again !!!

January 5th 2018
Today the twins celebrate their 9th birthday and 8 years of remission for Emily.....happy and healthy, full of fun, life goes on.
Today is always extra special.

January 1st 2019
Nine years has past and she continues to be well, bright and happy. They will be 10 on January 5th and it's much anticipated

January 2020
They are about to enter their final year of Primary School, both happy and healthy. They celebrated the end of the long decade which began on January 1st 2000....we all did, happily it ended better than it began with Emily remaining Cancer free. Other issues are merely bumps in the road compared to how she began her journey.
Last year she fractured her pelvis but recovered quickly, amazing the hospital staff with her high tolerance to pain and resistance to pain medication...she will always impress me in ways she will never know.

January 1st 2021
The end of a decade that was long and difficult but also one of many happy times for our family ended last night. Never could we have imagined what lay ahead in 2020 just as we had no idea 10 years ago this life changing decade would bring. Happily through this world pandemic year we all stayed healthy despite all that was going on all around us. Their final year of primary school was a yoyo but they got through it.
Emily remains healthy full of life while still under the watchful eye of the ongoing team of medical people who are always pleased to give her good progress reports. I will never forget the shock of January 1 in 2010, or the long journey of pain endured. I will always hate Cancer for the life changes it causes but I will also love knowing through it there is a strength gained and I will always be grateful that she is here with us still.

Happy and Healthy they turned 14 on the 5/01/2023, they are now brand new Aunts to baby Mia