TANYA Butterworth\u2019s youngest child Mackenzie is an energetic four-year-old who loves playing at the park, jumping in muddy puddles, going to the carnival, and watching fireworks.<\/p>\n
But her little life hasn\u2019t always been so joyful, as she was diagnosed with blood cancer one month after her second birthday in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had been really sick with viruses and a fever, a double ear infection, and had bruises on her legs,\u201d Ms Butterworth said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought she was just your average day-care child that always gets sick… but after some blood tests, we found out she had leukaemia, was anaemic and we had to go to the Royal Children\u2019s Hospital the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mackenzie was in the RCH for eight months receiving \u201cintense\u201d treatment including blood and platelet transfusions and chemotherapy in that time.<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t see many of her family members and friends throughout the pandemic, but got to come home to Ballarat, and stay home in May, 2020.<\/p>\n
Until December last year, Mackenzie was going down to Melbourne for monthly chemotherapy, and was taking chemo tablets daily.<\/p>\n
But throughout, Ms Butterworth said her family unit, which includes Mackenzie\u2019s three siblings, had lots of support and care from the community around them. The Hospital, and a particular organisation, were \u201cbeyond amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a social worker through the My Room Children\u2019s Cancer Charity and would have been lost without her. She organised accommodation, funding for food vouchers and bills<\/p>\n
\u201cMackenzie had a lot of play therapy which My Room funded, and that was really, really helpful as a distraction from treatments and dressing changes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome organisations\u2019 funding support is a set amount, but My Room is based on your circumstances. Living far away from the hospital, having that social worker to organise everything and to talk to when things were overwhelming was very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now in kinder, Mackenzie\u2019s immunity has improved, she\u2019s energised, approaching her fifth birthday in July, and excited to head to school net year where she will get to play with her older sister every day.<\/p>\n
The only worry she has at the moment is making sure the Easter Bunny finds her when she\u2019s on a camping trip in the upcoming school holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that she\u2019s well, we\u2019re so relieved,\u201d Ms Butterworth said. \u201cIt feels like life is finally getting back to normal after her diagnosis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re no longer stressed about her being around anyone that sick, because her system can cope, and I\u2019m able to get back to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
But there are two things in particular Ms Butterworth hopes parents, carers and the broader community can take away from their story.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrust your instincts, and you need to accept help when it\u2019s offered,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TANYA Butterworth\u2019s youngest child Mackenzie is an energetic four-year-old who loves playing at the park, jumping in muddy puddles, going to the carnival, and watching fireworks. But her little life hasn\u2019t always been so joyful, as she was diagnosed with blood cancer one month after her second birthday in 2019. \u201cShe had been really sick […]<\/p>\n