In a heartwarming story of resilience and recovery, seven-year-old Kit Mills from Mayfield is now thriving after successfully completing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The brave youngster has taken up karate to rebuild his strength and is happily adjusting to school life, with his mother Hannah describing his progress as "doing great".
A Challenging Journey Through Treatment
Kit's cancer journey began in August 2022 when he was just three years old. He underwent two years of intensive treatment, including eight months of chemotherapy at John Hunter Children's Hospital followed by an additional 18 months of oral chemotherapy maintenance at home. His mother Hannah, a writer and copy editor, had to pause her career for approximately 18 months to support him through this difficult period.
"During Kit's treatment, travel was hard for us. We weren't able to go far," Hannah explained, highlighting the challenges their family faced during this time.
Vital Support from Ronald McDonald House
The Mills family has shared their story ahead of McHappy Day this Saturday, an important fundraising event for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Although they lived locally and didn't require accommodation, they regularly used the charity's family room in the J1 ward at John Hunter Hospital.
"It's a respite room for families," Hannah said. "It has a kitchen, snacks for kids, bathrooms and a bed to catch up on sleep."
The family also benefited from the charity's cabin retreat at Forster on three occasions. "Everything is paid for at Forster. They connect with a lot of local businesses and provide meal vouchers and activities," Hannah shared, noting how valuable these breaks were during a financially challenging period.
Supporting the Transition to School Life
An important aspect of Kit's recovery involved preparing for school through Ronald McDonald House's education program. "A Ronald McDonald House staffer is an education liaison between families and schools," Hannah explained. "She provides support and talks to teachers about medical needs."
This support proved crucial as their school had never previously enrolled a child who had experienced cancer. Kit, now in year one, has been managing well despite some ongoing fatigue. "He gets tired a fair bit, especially with school," his mother noted, "but on the whole, you wouldn't know what he'd been through."
The young survivor has shown remarkable adaptability throughout his experience. "He just got on with it," Hannah said of his treatment. While initially quiet about his experience in kindergarten, Kit has become more open in discussing his journey with others.
Family Healing and Moving Forward
Kit finished his treatment approximately one year ago and continues to have monthly check-ups that have been progressing well. However, the experience has left its mark on the entire family. Hannah revealed that she still experiences emotional triggers when visiting the hospital, even when just entering the car park.
"It definitely hit me later on towards the end of his treatment, when things slowed down a bit and I wasn't running on adrenaline," she shared. Fortunately, support services including psychologists, social workers, and support groups at the children's hospital have been available to help families process these challenging experiences.
Despite the difficulties, Kit maintains positive memories from his hospital visits, recalling "all the fun parts, like getting spoiled and seeing the Starlight captains and the charities that help in the children's ward." His mother added that "whenever we go there now, he wants to go and play," demonstrating his remarkable resilience and positive spirit.
The family's story highlights the importance of support services for families navigating childhood cancer and serves as an inspiring testament to the power of community support in helping children like Kit reclaim their childhood after serious illness.
