In the thick of adversity, beautiful friendships between patients and parents are being made daily at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.

Julianne and Houston Larcart (11) and Claire and Adam Trott (2) had their worlds collide when both boys were admitted to the RCH with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) just days apart in March.

Despite their age gap, the two boys connected almost instantly and now have a bond like that of brothers.

“I’ve always wanted a little brother,” says Houston of Adam.

And the feeling’s mutual for two-year-old Adam, with mum Claire saying he quickly felt safe and secure in ‘Houstys’, as he calls him, company.

“I think he looked to Houston as someone he could have fun with who’s not a parent or an adult. It was really nice to see how comfortable Adam was with Houston and how much joy he was getting out of spending time with him. Every morning, Adam would sit outside Houston’s room waiting to be let in, that’s how much he adores him,” says Claire.

The everlasting friendship isn’t confined to the boys, Claire and Julianne, too, have formed a great friendship. And despite Claire and Adam’s relocation to Brisbane in June, the mums still chat daily.

“Life on the ward can be isolating and you could go crazy having no one to talk to when you’re here 24/7, which is why my connection with Claire was so important. We’re all being taken out of our normal environments, and, for me, Claire helped me to laugh because if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. She is a beautiful person and has been a great support,” says Julianne.

With Claire’s family three hours away, and living in Adam’s room on the Kookaburra ward, Julianne would often make meals for Claire.

And because Adam was so comfortable with Houston and Julianne, it meant Claire could nip away every now and then.

“It was a huge help knowing I could take an opportunity to head off the ward for five minutes, knowing Adam was so comfortable with Houston and Julianne,” says Claire.

The boys’ favourite activities were hide-and-seek, playing games on the iPad and playing with balls and blocks, and it was well-known on Kookaburra that if one wasn’t in their own room, they’d be in the other’s room.

They came into the hospital together, and both boys look like they will be discharged around the same time in the coming weeks.

“Cancer is a rollercoaster ride, we don’t know whether Houston is done with cancer or whether it will return but we are hoping for a happy and healthy future,” Julianne said.

A trip to Brisbane is on the cards for Julianne and Houston once both boys are well.