Living in a town called Rainbow certainly sounds magical, and for the Lester family it is all that and more.

“It’s as good as the name makes it sound,” said Emma Lester, a long-time resident of the North West Victorian town.

But in July 2016 a little of the magic was lost for the Lester family when five-year-old Ava was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Faced with thousands of kilometres of constant travelling, Emma and her family could see it was best she and Ava move to Melbourne so Ava could receive regular specialist care from the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“Our family has been completely divided,” Emma said. “My husband stayed home with our youngest daughter and I’m here with Ava.”

When it came to finding a place to live, Emma said there wasn’t any public or charitable housing available at the time, so the family had to rent an apartment.

Obviously this solution was costly, at an already stressful and emotional time. However, through a social worker at the RCH, Emma and her husband found they were eligible for the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS).

“It has significantly helped with our rent,” Emma said. “It was a couple of months before I put the form in, so I’d been paying rent for two or three months.

“The amount I got back, I was very surprised at. It seemed like quite a nice amount to get back, which helped pay us another month or two rent, so it’s been very good.”

Available to Victorian patients and their families who live more than 100km away from the RCH, VPTAS can help with accommodation and travel costs.

Emma said applying was “very easy”.

“It’s just filling in some forms and sending them off,” she said. “It’s good to keep your little diary of all your travels and your receipts and everything because when you put your form in it does make a difference when you get a return on it.”

Once you have the form, you’ll need your medical specialist to complete some sections of the form before you can submit the claim. But Emma’s advice was to make the most of everything that was available.

“I think it’s definitely wise – every little bit helps,” she said.

As Ava’s treatment moves into the next stage, she and Emma will be able to return to Rainbow. They plan to drive the 960km each month to get to and from the RCH to continue Ava’s treatment, but for now, the prospect of heading home and getting the family back together is just the little bit of magic they need.

VPTAS claim forms are available from the RCH’s Family Hub, some clinic desks and Main Street Reception, or available online here.

VPTAS is available to Victorian residents only, however equivalent schemes are available in each state for interstate patients.

For more information, ask your GP, a RCH staff member or visit the Department of Health website.