With the sunshine streaming through the big window as Georgie happily plays, she feels a world away from the harsh reality of hospital.
These moments of happiness have helped Georgie to just be a child again amid the unimaginable pain and fear of cancer treatment.
After a short illness, persistent fevers and no appetite, Georgie then had small black bruises appear on her leg and foot. As her mum Courtney became increasingly worried, Georgie’s doctor sent her for further tests.
When the blood results came back, the family’s world was changed forever - Georgie was diagnosed with leukaemia.
“Your whole world explodes when you hear the words “your child has cancer.” Courtney said.
Georgie and her mum spent the next 50 weeks in the children’s hospital hours away from home. At just two-years-old, Georgie was suddenly separated from her twin sister Lillie and older brothers Archie and Ollie.
“The impact this has on the other children is something you can’t explain, and as a parent being separated from your kids for that amount of time is a pain that stays with you,” Courtney said.
Georgie’s treatment was intense and unrelenting with multiple rounds of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and steroids. She also needed lumbar punctures with chemo injected into her spinal fluid.
For a little girl who loved to play outdoors, sing and dance and was always ready with a hug for her mum – the world of hospital was overwhelming. Her treatment left so exhausted and unwell, trips home were not an option. She was often too sick to see anyone at all.
“The hardest part for Georgie was being away from her family; she was basically growing up in a world that isn’t normal for a two-year-old. She spent so much time in hospital she started to call our family home “Lillie’s house” because she didn’t remember living here.”
During those long, lonely months in hospital, Starlight was there with moments of joy and happiness that brought back Georgie’s smile.
The Captain Starlight’s daily visits to the oncology ward brought light and laughter to Georgie’s hardest days.
When Georgie was well enough, she and her mum would always go to the Starlight Express Room to have a break from the ward and to play with the toys, read together and have fun.
Georgie loved balloon making, having her face painted and she especially loved playing hide and seek with the Captains. She enjoyed playing bingo and would jump at the chance to join in the fun on the Starlight Express Room stage!
Her mum said that despite everything she faced, she was so proud of Georgie’s resilience.
“Georgie adapted to the world she was forced to live in and easily made friends around the hospital, her smile was always peeping through.”
Courtney said she can’t imagine hospital without the happiness that Starlight creates.
“The Starlight Express Room was Georgie’s place to just be a kid, have fun and escape all the procedures and medicines. The Captains always found ways to make both kids and parents laugh.”
Georgie has slowly been learning to walk and run again after the side effects of her treatment.
Thankfully, she is back at home with her family but continuing daily chemotherapy for the next 13 months. She also has monthly infusions to help boost her immune system and will have blood tests every month and ongoing clinic appointments.
Courtney explains that her daughter will continue to be monitored for the next five years and “will be in the cancer system” throughout her life.
While worry and uncertainty weigh heavily on the family, they received the exciting news that Georgie had been granted her Starlight Wish for a beautiful golden retriever puppy.
Georgie got to know a therapy dog during her treatment and loved patting him and taking him for little walks. So for her wish, her mum said they knew a puppy would bring them so much joy.
“We wanted her wish to be meaningful for both Georgie and our whole family so now we can heal together with the excitement of our puppy Sadie,” Courtney said. “Every morning the kids ask is Sadie coming today!”
Reflecting on Georgie’s hospital journey, Courtney said, “So much is taken from our kids through something so horrible. To be able to be a kid, have fun and be silly is so important—and that’s what Starlight does. It gives them space to be happy when so much is scary. Starlight means everything to us.”
