Kylie was diagnosed
with Retinoblastoma at 18 months of age. She had her right
eye removed immediately. She also underwent many courses of
Radiotherapy to save the remaining eye over the next 18 months.
Eventually when she turned 3 the second eye was removed. She
then underwent 12 months of intensive chemotherapy.
Kylie's Mum says she does not remember very much about this
time. One day when she had to go back to Princess Margret
Hospital for another course of chemo she said to me "Mum,
How can the chemo make me better when all it does is make
me sick"?
She was diagnosed with Osteogenic
Sarcoma of the right upper leg when she was 9 years of age.
It was her choice to have the amputation because she could
not bear the thought of constant hospital visits to lengthen
her leg as she grew.
Kylie then underwent another 9 months intensive chemotherapy.
During this time she needed a Kangaroo Pump and we used
this to feed her as she slept. She was not able to eat without
vomiting constantly. Kylie does not dwell on her time in
hopital. She is too busy enjoying life. She does not regard
her blindness as a diability but finds being an above knee
amputee frustrating. Her artificial leg is bulky, slow and
she is always having trouble with it fitting correctly.
She finds elbow crutches much easier to amblate on. She
is very positive in all she does and wants to be treated
like everyone else.
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Hi my name is Peter Ellis, but you can call me Pellis, that's
the nickname my friends gave me. My friends are just a part
of what has made my life so great to this point.
See, when I was 12 I had an accident, I hurt my back while
surfing down south during the school holidays, that led me
to discovering I had Leukaemia. After my diagnosis I cried
for 3 days but I always tried to stay positive, as I learned
and still believe there are always people a lot worse off.
I overcame these difficulties with the love and support of
my family, the 3B staff, physios, speech therapists and my
friends. I am now almost 20 and lead a life full of fun, mischief
and GOOD TIMES, which I believe will continue for many, many
years. I hope the staff of 3B know the huge part they play
in the lives of young people battling with cancer as I believe
they are a big part of why I'm here.
THANK YOU 3B, Love Pete.
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