When 12-year-old Siah started needing naps after school, her parents knew something wasn’t right.
She’d always loved running around at footy practice and chasing after her two younger brothers in their hometown of Cooroibah on the Sunshine Coast.
“It was such a big change in her personality,” says her mum, Ellen.
Her parents thought she might be a virus or iron deficiency. But when Siah developed bruising on the backs of her arms, they immediately took her to the doctor for blood tests.
The following morning, Ellen was contacted by the pathologist who said Siah needed to go to hospital immediately.
By that afternoon, they’d received a diagnosis. Siah had acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.
“When Mum and Dad came into the room and told me, I just sat there and wasn’t fazed. Then I thought, ‘I’m going to lose my hair,’ and I cried,” Siah says.
But even in those first difficult moments, the always-positive Siah took charge of her journey. “I told Mum and Dad that we won’t be doing this with tears. We’re going to do this with a smile on our face because we just have to do it,” says Siah.
Meanwhile, her parents were devastated.
We actually have had two nephews and a niece with the same leukaemia, and all three of them had very poor outcomes,” Ellen says. “So for us, I think initially we thought, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to end up the same’.
“It was hard to imagine our daughter going through something so intense,” says Ellen.
“The doctor also advised us not to use Google, and we didn’t. We knew what the worst-case possibilities could be, so we just didn’t think it would benefit us to do any more looking at that.”
Siah’s family relocates for life-saving treatment
Siah was transferred by ambulance to the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane to begin urgent life-saving treatment.
Over the next 11 months, she had intensive treatment and one of the medications triggered a severe reaction, causing convulsions. But, for the most part, Siah was simply exhausted from the toll of the chemotherapy.
Her family was by her side, playing card games and trying to keep her spirits up, throughout her journey. Ellen and Jimmy wanted their sons to understand what chemotherapy involved, so they encouraged them to ask questions and stay by Siah’s side, even on nights when her treatment didn’t start until 11pm. It helped them understand what was happening to their sister so they felt included, rather than afraid.
Help keep families together throughout blood cancer treatment.
The family was also supported by their community back home on the Sunshine Coast.
“We were completely blown away by the incredible support from our community,” says Ellen. “We never expected it to be as widespread as it was. Our friends checked in regularly, visited when Siah wasn’t in isolation and offered emotional support.”
Siah’s school also made a huge effort with the kids creating activity books and organising a fundraiser where everyone wore purple (her favourite colour).
A home away from home helps take the pressure off
The Leukaemia Foundation also helped relieve financial and emotional stress while the family was far from home.
This included accommodation at the Leukaemia Foundation’s ESA Blood Cancer Centre while Siah was undergoing treatment. This fully furnished, three-bedroom apartment gave them a place to rest and regroup between hospital visits.
It gave me encouragement that the family was united,” says Siah’s father, Jimmy. “That was the biggest thing for me.
They also had the support from Sarah, their Leukaemia Foundation Supportive Care Case Manager.
“Sarah was often emailing or ringing me and making sure we were okay and that all our needs were met. She connected us in with the local school and we got all that sorted. Sarah also supported us practically as well as emotionally. Once things are alleviated practically, sometimes it just takes the weight off,” says Ellen.
A Christmas wish comes true
Siah’s treatment was long and difficult, but one thing helped her keep going: the hope that she wouldn’t have to spend Christmas in the hospital.
Thankfully, her wish came true. Siah was well enough to leave the hospital and spent Christmas with her family at the ESA Blood Cancer Centre.
On Christmas Day, the apartment was turned into a wonderland for Siah. Ellen cooked up a huge lunch, while her dad and brothers decorated a Christmas tree.
“It was a really fun celebration,” says Ellen. “We had a big feast, just what Siah wanted. We had movies and we built Christmas LEGO. The kids built gingerbread houses. It was really, really nice.”
The Leukaemia Foundation team also organised community activities for everyone at the centre.
“We came together with the other families to celebrate with Christmas photographs, face painting and carols,” Ellen says.
With accommodation, emotional support and genuine care, the Leukaemia Foundation helped Siah and her family focus on what mattered most – her recovery.
With accommodation, emotional support and genuine care, the Leukaemia Foundation helped Siah and her family focus on what mattered most – her recovery. Make your donation here to support other families during their blood cancer journey.
After seven months of treatment, Siah and her family could finally return home.
Siah is in ongoing remission and is receiving low dose chemotherapy. She’s looking forward to having her central line removed so she can return to the beach.
“I’m just in awe of her,” says Ellen. “I don’t think I would have been able to handle it the way that she has. She is my absolute hero.”
