Grace’s story Home Grace’s story After weeks of no improvement in persistent virus type symptoms, three-year-old Grace was taken to hospital. Her condition was worsening, and her concerned parents knew there was more to it, but never did they think the diagnoses would be leukaemia. Grace was immediately admitted, and in the following days, she had an electrocardiograph (ECG), a trans thoracic echo, blood tests, and received multiple units of blood. Grace had a bone marrow aspirate to determine which type of leukemia she had, and a port-a-cath inserted, and within days of diagnosis, Grace started her first cycle of chemotherapy. “After Grace was diagnosed it became just so overwhelming. We were very upset and did not know what was ahead for our Gracie. There were so many people from each department coming to speak to us, but the support we received as a family we are truly grateful for.” said Grace’s mum Philippa. The protocol Grace follows for her treatment is broken into three phases, induction, consolidation, and maintenance. In the induction and consolidation phase of her treatment, Grace was at the hospital at least once a week for lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspirations, or IV and intrathecal chemotherapy. In the maintenance phase, Grace was at the hospital every two weeks for blood, lumbar punctures, or chemotherapy. She also has daily oral chemotherapy at home. A few weeks after Grace commenced treatment, she got an infection. She was admitted to hospital for several weeks and ended up in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, ventilated and in renal failure. She also had a gastric bleed and had to be rushed to theatre to repair it. The chemotherapy gave her severe neuropathy and she stopped walking. Thankfully, with weekly physiotherapy and her hard work, she was able to start walking again in November 2018. But sadly, in July 2019 she broke her leg, and because Grace developed oesteogenisis from the treatment, it took many months to heal and for Grace to learn to walk for a second time. Grace also has a bug in her system that has given her multiple urinary tract infections. One infection caused her to become septic and she required emergency treatment and another extended stay in hospital. “The Children’s Hospital Foundation volunteers have been absolutely amazing. When we have had long stays in hospital, they make it just that bit easier with the services they provide and friendly smiles. Grace is often confined to her room during an admission, so the volunteers deliver toys and books for her to play with which is absolutely amazing. They also gave Grace a beautiful quilt to make her room just a bit more like home which was absolutely wonderful! They made an overwhelming experience just a little easier. When in hospital one of Grace’s favourite things was pet therapy, she loves dogs! Whenever she received a visit from one of them, she was always up and ready to give them a pat. Her other favourite activity was music therapy. The relaxing music provided to Grace when she was in PICU was amazing. Since then, and to this day Grace will not go to sleep unless there is relaxing music playing.” added Philippa. Brave little Grace finally finished treatment in November 2020 and got to ring the bell to signify her brave fight and mark the end of her treatment. Grace will require ongoing blood tests and follow-up appointments for the next 10 years. Philippa said “We are so proud of Grace. On top of everything that comes with a leukaemia diagnosis, Grace also had to learn to walk again, not once but twice. We had a big celebration at the end of her treatment and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas at home together.” Read more Wonder Warrior stories Your donation will help fund life-saving medical research and critical equipment, and provide the highest level of care for sick kids, just like Grace. Donate Once Donate Monthly Your donation will work wondersfor sick kids today.Would you like to donate monthly? Your donation of will work wonders for sick kids Your Details Have a PO Box or can't find your address? State*ACTNSWNTQLDSATASVICWA Country Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe < Back Your donation of will work wonders for sick kids Your donation of will work wonders for sick kids Your donation of will be charged on the of next month and the following months thereafter Your donation of will be charged today and on the of the following months thereafter Payment Details Credit Card Direct Debit MastercardVisaAmex Month*010203040506070809101112 Year*20202021202220232024202520262027202820292030 15th of every month 28th of every month What is CVV? What is Date of Debit? 15th of every month 28th of every month 15th of every month 28th of every month For more information please check our Terms & Conditions Your request is being processed. < Back Other ways you can help Everything we do for sick and injured kids is made possible by the generosity and support of our donors, partners and the community.