Mia's cancer battle

We are fundraising for Mia O’Donoghue (age 13) for ongoing medical costs. Mia’s mother, Celia, has been recently widowed. She is now a solo mother with four children. Celia works part time but it is a struggle. We would love to fundraise to help Celia to support Mia’s ongoing battle with melanoma cancer and lymphedema.

Mia was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in 2015. Her dad, Greg, was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer a few months before. Greg started chemotherapy immediately and battled on for 18 months before dying in early 2017.

Mia had a mole on her knee which her GP initially diagnosed as a pubertal change. Mia’s mother, Celia, pushed for hard for a second opinion. The mole was subsequently removed. The histology report came back as a form of skin cancer. Celia and Greg used savings and family assistance to privately fund testing and further surgery. Results came back as Stage 3 metastatic cancer. Mia remains under an adult melanoma specialist.

Mia is about to undergo her sixth surgery in early June 2017. She has had her lymph nodes removed from her left leg. As a result of the removal of her lymph nodes Mia suffers from severe lymphedema. There is no funding in the public health system for children under the age of 16 who are suffering from lymphedema post cancer surgery.