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Supporting Indie and the Todd Family

  • Waiting for the Next Step

      3 December 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    We want to say another huge thank you to everyone who has donated through Givealittle or supported any of the incredible fundraisers over the past few weeks. We’ve been absolutely blown away by the kindness and generosity shown by our friends, our family, and often, complete strangers.

    While we’re still facing big challenges and a lot of uncertainty, your support has taken a huge weight off our shoulders. It allows us to focus on making decisions based solely on what’s best for Indie and for our family and for that, we are so grateful.

    Since Indie finished her final cycle of chemotherapy a few weeks ago, we’ve been back home in Timaru. It’s been wonderful to be home, but it also brings new challenges. Right now we’re in complete limbo as we wait for a confirmed date to travel to the United States for proton therapy. At this stage, all we know is that contracts are with the lawyers, and we still don’t know where we’ll be for Christmas.

    After three rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, Indie’s recent MRI showed a continued reduction in the size of her tumour. We are relieved and encouraged to see the cancer responding to treatment, but we know there’s still a long road ahead, and we’re eager to move into the next phase as quickly as possible.

    Hopefully our next update will be coming to you from an airport. Thank you again for all your support and love. 💜

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    • 04/12/2025 by Pam

      Thinking of you and your family Shaun. I can't imagine the emotional roller-coaster this has been for you all. Wishing Indie the best possible outcome. xx

  • Indies Beads of Courage

      3 November 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    As Indie completes her sixth cycle of chemotherapy, it’s hard to truly comprehend everything she has faced over the past six months. One of the most powerful ways to visualise her journey so far is through her Beads of Courage. Each bead represents a milestone, treatment, or experience that Indie has bravely endured — a tangible story of her strength and resilience.

    To date Indie has collected 826 beads

    • Black beads mark every blood draw (263)

    • White beads for each dose of chemotherapy (20)

    • Yellow beads for overnight hospital stays (108)

    • Rainbow beads for support people like play specialists, dietitian, physiotherapist

    • Special beads for moments like birthday in hospital, losing her hair, and when her baby brother Hudson was born.

    • Fish beads for hospital transfers and long-distance travel for care.

    • Star beads for operations and surgeries.

    • Lime beads for isolation or neutropenia (28)

    • Bumpy beads for the challenges of learning to walk again and overcoming medication challenges/reactions

    • Light green beads for scans and tests (34)

    • Red beads for blood transfusions.

    • Purple beads for IV infusions.

    This is only to name a few

    Each bead tells a story — a reminder of her courage, her battles, and her incredible spirit. The reality of having a three-year-old spend so much time in hospital hits home in moments like when Indie recently saw an ambulance and said, “Look, Mum - that ambulance is going to the hospital where we live.”

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  • 💜 Update on Indie – After Cycle 5 💜

      4 October 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    Indie has now completed cycle 5 of 6 rounds of chemotherapy.

    These last three rounds are high-dose chemo – her doctors described it as a “lethal” dose. To survive it, she needs a stem cell transplant each time, otherwise the treatment would destroy her bone marrow.

    The good news is Indie handled this cycle really well. Unlike cycle 4, where she needed days on morphine for pain relief, this time she didn’t need morphine at all.

    During high-dose chemo she becomes neutropenic – meaning her immune system is wiped out and she has no defence against infection. Because of this she must stay isolated in a pressurised hospital room, unable to leave. It was challenging to keep Indie occupied while confined to her room for so long - but she coped incredibly well.

    Yesterday we arrived home, likely for about a week. Indie loves being back with family – it reminds her what "normal" life looks like and she loves the freedom.

    We are still waiting on final confirmation of funding for Proton Therapy in Atlanta, but all signs are looking positive.

    Since her story was shared by the Timaru Herald, The Press, ODT and Oamaru Mail, the support has been overwhelming. From donations here to fundraising offers, we are so grateful to have such amazing people in our corner for our wee girl.

    We’ll share details of upcoming fundraising events soon – thank you all so much for standing with Indie. 💖

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  • 💜 Indie’s Next Step 💜

      20 September 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd

    What was once only a possibility is now becoming a reality — after Indie’s sixth cycle of chemotherapy (she’s currently in cycle 5), we are likely heading to the USA in late 2025/early 2026 for treatment. This could mean 8–10 weeks overseas, at short notice.

    https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360816752/family-awaits-funding-news-little-indies-fight-against-rare-brain-tumour

    We’ve been absolutely blown away by the generosity shown here on Givealittle. Your support has carried us this far, and we are so deeply grateful.

    As we prepare for the next stage, many of you have asked how you can help. Until now we’ve mostly said no, but the truth is we can’t do this alone. If you’d like to support, share fundraising ideas, or volunteer your time, we’d love to hear from you.

    📧 Get in touch: fundraising4indie@gmail.com

    Every bit of support helps us keep our family together while Indie takes on this fight. Thank you for being in her corner. 💖

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  • Indie’s 3rd Birthday

      1 September 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    On the 19th of August, Indie spent her third birthday in hospital. She is currently in the 4th of 6 chemo cycles. Her first high-dose round, which brings tougher side effects and a slower recovery.

    It wasn’t the birthday we wished for our little girl, but we did everything we could to make it special. Her room was decorated pink, she was spoiled with presents (including a pink ride-on Jeep!), and the wonderful CHOC nurses even sang her Happy Birthday.

    With almost no immunity, she was kept in isolation, but later that evening the nurses gave her a treat, letting her take a few laps of the ward in her Jeep! The days that followed were tough, but true to form she coped better than expected, proving her incredible strength once again.

    On the 28th of August she finally got to drive her Jeep outside, back to Ronald McDonald House after being discharged. We’ve since had a short break at home in Timaru, where she has loved being in her own room and with our dog, Daisy, before starting cycle 5.

    Indie, we love you more than words can say. We’re so sorry you didn’t get the third birthday you truly deserved, but we are endlessly proud of the way you face everything that comes your way.

    Thank you to everyone who continues to support us. Your kindness and generosity mean the world and give us strength.

    Happy Birthday, Indie Pops ❤️

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  • Home

      7 August 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    Indie has now completed her 3rd cycle of induction chemo and besides a recent week long stint in hospital with sepsis she has handled it as well as you would expect for a 2 year old. A recent hearing test showed minimal to no hearing loss which we are relieved about.

    We managed to pop home for a couple of nights for the first time since her diagnosis (in early May) and Indie was so happy to be back. She ran around excited to play with her toys and in her own space again. We also got to welcome Hudson to his home for the first time.

    We are hoping in some of the later cycles there may be the opportunity to pop home for short stints also.

    Thank you to family, friends, neighbours, colleagues etc for your continued support.

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  • July 2025

      7 August 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    Indie has recently had a few more regular gaps in hospital stays allowing us as a family to stay together at Ronald MacDonald house and get out and about in Christchurch and do some "normal" things; beach trips, Timezone and walks to feed the ducks.

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  • Thank you ❤️

      16 July 2025
    Posted by: Shaun Todd
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    We have been truly humbled by the donations and messages coming through this page. Your support means I can stay here in Christchurch with Haylee, Indie and Hudson without needing to rush back to work. That is a huge weight off our shoulders, especially with Hudson just arriving. Not knowing how long this journey will take or how long I will need to be off work, every bit of support helps keep our family where we need to be — together.

    Tomorrow, Indie starts chemo cycle three of six. Cycle two was thankfully a little easier than the first, which meant we could spend more time together, staying at Ronald McDonald House and managing her chemo and checkups as an outpatient. She continues to amaze us with her strength and resilience. Hudson is thriving too, and watching Indie step into her role as big sister has been really special.

    We might not always manage to reply, but we see every message and donation. Thank you for standing with us. From our whole family, we are forever grateful.

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