For Isla Hallam, thumb sucking is a simple comfort in a whirlwind of agressive and repetitive hospital treatments for her leukaemia. The almost-two-year-old has had her fifth hospital admission in three months. Despite being an emotional rollercoaster for Isla and her family, she always manages a smile for the RCH staff who pass her cot. … Continued
As in the case of a mysterious ghostly figure, it took a photograph to reveal what had been haunting Bailey for more than a year. Bailey had retinoblastoma. In the family photo, his left eye looked white – a tell-tale sign that light was bouncing off an unsual surface. RCH opthalmologists confirmed this surface was a deadly tumour. Left with … Continued
Both Adam and his father Ivan know what it’s like to spend long days at the RCH. Adam, one year old, is receiving his seventh round of chemotherapy for neuroblastoma, while his father is an electrician working on the new RCH construction site next door. While even the harshest chemicals can’t wipe the grin off … Continued
Melburnians will gain a special insight into the impact of the RCH on their city thanks to the launch of the Good Friday Appeal Yarra Tram. The tram features photos of RCH patients past and present, ranging in age from a few weeks to 70 years. The oldest face to decorate the tram is June Brayley, who received treatment for … Continued
Angelic Jade Chumbley’s halo is made of bandages, wires and electrodes. Ever since the 10-week-old began having mystery seizures two weeks ago, RCH neurologists have been closely monitoring her brain activity on an EEG machine. So far, the cause of the seizures remains unknown. Jade’s parents are on 24-hour watch at their baby’s bedside and are ready to … Continued
For a six-year-old, Myra has had to endure a lot of pain and angst. Two years ago she accidentally drank cleaning product, which badly burned her oesophagus. The highly-corrosive liquid ulcerated and scarred her tissue. Since then, she’s made the arduous five-hour journey from her home in southern New South Wales for treatment at the … Continued
RCH staff have become “surrogate mothers” to bouncy Lorenzo, according to his mother Jessica. Ten-month-old Lorenzo has spent almost all of his life in the RCH with Hirschsprung’s disease and short gut. Despite scars on his belly where doctors have repeatedly opened him up to remove diseased sections of his bowel, Lorenzo looks a picture … Continued
Charlotte Pegoraro is living life to the full thanks to a rare gift – a new liver. The 11-month-old’s tiny body is now a healthy shade of rose after being deep yellow as her old liver failed. Charlotte was diagnosed with the fatal condition biliary atresia. After an attempt to drain the bile from her liver by connecting it … Continued
Jarrad Howard’s bizarre bone condition could have remained a mystery if it weren’t for him breaking his leg. After undergoing scans for his fractured femur, RCH doctors discovered Jarrad’s bone was deteriorating. In fact, one of his hips was deeply disintegrated. Jarrad has been diagnosed with Gorham’s disease and is only one of 200 in the … Continued
Betty and Delilah Kemp-Bishop were born three days before Christmas. Ready to take their parcels of joy home, the girls’ parents were shocked to realise one of them would require a little extra unwrapping. Betty was born with an ill-formed oesophagus, causing it to fuse with her trachea. She was raced to the RCH for emergency … Continued
