Your kindness is helping families like Ava’s. Thank you!

When Ava was just a few minutes old, doctors spotted an unusual rash on her tiny body.

“The day Ava was born should have been the happiest day of our lives. When they told us she might have leukaemia, my wife and I broke down,” said Ollie, Ava’s dad.

Two days later, Ava’s mum and dad had to drop everything, relocate over 700km away and live out of a suitcase. They didn’t go home for seven months.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, their family often only gets a moment’s notice before they’re rushed to a specialist hospital – sometimes in a different city, or even a different state.

The financial pressure – on top of all the other stress and heartbreak – can tear families apart.

They’re often left deep in debt and drowning in bills. Some families fall so far behind on rent or the mortgage they lose their home while their little one is fighting for their life.

All Ollie wanted was to focus on his little girl, but as their living expenses spiralled, anxiety about their finances started to creep in.

Ollie shared what it was like: “The expenses just kept coming and coming and coming.”

That’s when the love and compassion of supporters like you came into their lives.

Thanks to you, our social workers could connect with the family and offer them the financial support to get them through.

When we asked Ollie what that meant for him, he said: “When we received grocery vouchers, I got a bit emotional. For the first time, I didn’t have to worry where the money was going to come from. It’s hard to put a value on it. It’s priceless.”

For Ollie and his family, the support from people like you was more than financial. “It was a lifeline.”

Your generosity has helped give their family financial assistance, so they can focus on what matters most: supporting their child with cancer.