Meet the brave kids taking part in 86K for a Cure!
Every month in Australia, 86 kids are diagnosed with cancer, and sadly, 12 of these children won't survive. And for those who survive, life is never the same again. Not only do they deal with the ever-present threat of the cancer returning, they also face the prospect of serious long-term health problems caused by the very treatment that saved their life.
Lucy, Wyatt and Ivy will be conquering 86km with YOU to help other children diagnosed with cancer.
And the incredible Wilkinson Family will be conquering 86km in memory of their daughter Izzy.
Register to show your support for these brave kids, and help end childhood cancer once and for all, because every child deserves the chance to grow up, chase their dreams and fulfil their potential.
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Introducing Wyatt
When Wyatt was just three and a half years old, after developing a fever that wouldn't go away, him and his family received a bombshell diagnosis: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Starting treatment right away, Wyatt experienced a raft of side effects, such as severe food cravings and becoming uncharacteristically aggressive. Thankfully, he responded well to chemotherapy and by day 29 was declared in remission.
18 months of maintenance therapy later, this brave little boy continues to do well, but Wyatt's mum, Jess, knows they still have a long way to go.
Since becoming an 'oncology mum', Jess says the importance of childhood cancer research has become clear. While enormous progress has been made in cure rates, she says,
“We've got to get that to 100%. That's got to be the goal." - Jess, Wyatt's mum
Introducing Izzy
“Izzy had this real passion for life. She just lit up a room,” says Sarah, Izzy's Mum
When Izzy was just 4 years old, she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer called DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), which had a nine-month life expectancy.
Izzy was put on medications to relieve her symptoms, with a view to starting on radiation and potentially a clinical trial after that.
"The treatment was all about extending her life, not saving it," says Sarah.
Izzy's final weeks were spent with her mum, dad, older brother Thomas and younger brother Lachlan, creating memories with each other that they could treasure.
Sarah says the family never gave up hope, but that their hope changed along the way.
"The hope we hold in our hearts now is that a cure to DIPG will be found so that other families won't have to experience what we did." Sarah, Izzy's Mum
Introducing Lucy
When Lucy was 3, she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive type of cancer.
At diagnosis, she was given a 30% chance of surviving the next 5 years. Thankfully, Lucy’s survival rate has improved since diagnosis and she has responded well to treatment.
Amazingly, our researchers have been successful in identifying one particular chemotherapy drug that has the ability to target Lucy's cancer genes and prevent her from relapsing, and in September 2023 received clear end-of-treatment scans!
This March, Lucy's family are conquering 86K for a Cure, to help raise funds for vital childhood cancer research to help Lucy and all kids with cancer enjoy a happy healthy and long life.
Introducing Ivy
When Ivy was just 3 years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
The doctors told her mum, Nicole, that Ivy was one of the worst they had seen, and she started treatment right away.
“If we’d waited another 48 hours, she would not be here today,” says Nicole.
Thanks to her amazing doctors, family, and critical childhood cancer research, Ivy survived and has now been in remission since 2018.
This March, Ivy will be walking 86km with you, to help find better treatments so that other children with the same disease can survive like she did.
Read Ivy's full story
