Help families when they need it most

Caring for a child with cancer takes incredible strength.

Rekite’s supporters make such a difference in the lives of parents like single mum Theresa, whose daughter Summer was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Summer went from being an active teenager with a busy social life to lying in a hospital bed. In her first few months of treatment, she suffered terrifying side effects. There were times she was so sick she couldn’t move or speak.

Theresa found herself torn between needing to be by Summer’s side in the hospital and taking care of Jessi, who was only 14.

“There were a couple of times when I had to leave the hospital, even though Summer was really sick,” she says. “I was so exhausted I couldn’t stand up or function anymore, but I had to get back to Jessi.”

It was all on top of the strain of trying to earn a living so Theresa could pay the bills.

“At first I was trying to run my business from the hospital,” Theresa says. “I was trying to hang on for dear life to the clients I had.”

“But when Summer started getting rare and life-threatening side effects, I had to let most of my work go.”

It’s a story that’s far too common. When a parent gives up work to care for their child with cancer, the bills don’t stop. And travelling to and from the hospital brings increased expenses like fuel and parking.

“I was so overwhelmed,” says Theresa. “It’s a real challenge when you start adding up the bills and thinking “how on earth am I going to make this work and come out the other side?”

“Redkite was an absolute game changer for me. We could have been homeless without that support.”

The idea that a parent, already facing childhood cancer diagnosis and the stress that comes with it, could face losing the roof over their head as well is devastating, but we know it can happen.

It’s not surprising that Theresa describes Redkite’s support as vital during this time.

Through the long, lonely days and nights at the hospital, Theresa’s fears were building. She was afraid for Summer’s life, for how Jessi was coping without them, would her business survive, how would she pay the bills.

The emotional, practical, and financial burden can often feel like too much to bear. For single parent families like Theresa’s, it can be even tougher.

“I didn’t even know I needed to speak to somebody,” Theresa says. “But I think the counsellor got a sense that I was struggling and they were checking on me.”

“There was one day when Summer was suddenly in a life or death situation and Redkite called just after she’d had an emergency operation. It was such a relief to have someone check in on me on that particular day.”

The generosity of Redkite’s supporters help families like Theresa’s find the strength they need to keep putting one foot in front of the other and make it through the most difficult days.

Supporting Redkite gives parents and carers urgent financial assistance to pay bills and rent and mortgage payments, as well as vouchers for groceries and fuel to keep their households running while they care for a child with cancer. Every member of a family impacted by the child’s diagnosis, from parents and grandparents to siblings and children on treatment, can get expert counselling and compassionate support to help them cope with the emotional burden of childhood cancer.

No family should have to face childhood cancer alone. And because of generous support, they don’t have to.