Faith's Brave Fight

On the 16th of October it was discovered that wee Faith had a mass in her chest wall that was putting pressure on one lung and her heart. She was sent (with mum and baby Hazel) straight up to Starship Children's Hospital via ambulance with dad Ben having to make the journey up in their car.

Once there and after a series of tests; Ash and Ben received the devastating news that Faith's mass was neurobalstoma - a solid cancerous tumour. Unfortunately the neuroblastoma is currently inoperable due to its size (the size of a grapefruit) and will need to be shrunken first.

Faith has been given a treatment plan that involves chemotherapy to help shrink the tumor which means that Ash, Hazel and Faith will be up in Auckland for at least the next few months.

As you know Ash, Ben and Faith were blessed with another gorgeous baby girl a couple of weeks early on the 11th of October (less than a week before Faith's diagnosis - I think wee Hazel knew her mum, dad and big sister were going to need her x) so are already adjusting to life with a new baby emotionally and financially. This is just such a huge shock. It's absolutely horrible that at a time when they should be celebrating their new baby, they are having to face this new fight head on. To allow them to have their full attention on their girls, and to ease their stress we are starting this page.

Faith's journey is just beginning, and for the McKillop family's forseeable future, Starship and the Ronald McDonald house will at times be a temporary home.

The ongoing travel costs for all and other family, extra food, help with time off work and also things to help Ash and Faith settle into their new routine are going to add up. Lets help take the pressure off them a little x

[Check out the update added 8th November 2018]