Kaitlyn turns 8 this Sunday

Kaitlyn, and her family, were made aware of the Tour de Cure by Jay - our greatest Ambassador!

We thank you Yvette and Mark for sharing the following piece of Kaitlyn's journey to her 8th birthday - which is this Sunday.

Here is a family photo Kaitlyn. From left to right, Olivia (kaitlyns sister 5), Kaitlyn (who is 8 on sunday 6th May), Mum, Dad and little brother Mack (1.5 years old) THis was taken last weekend on a Camp Quality outing.

'Kaitlyn was a happy healthy girl. She would get fevers quite a bit, but when presented to the GP it was stated, Does she go to daycare? Well it must just be a virus. So i think we went on for about 6 months like this. She would be good then get a fever for 5 days, come good, and so on. It was a Friday and we went to a park for dinner. She kept saying she had to go to the toilet, but nothing happened. At this time she was refusing to walk. We sat down to eat dinner, and she vomited. I took her to the local hospital and they said possibly appendix, but it was not bad enought to do anything so go home. By the sunday she was screaming, again to the local GP and we were sent to a childrens hospital. From then on it was full on, diagnosis, understanding the cancer, being told about her chemo regine, meeting the oncology ward, and facing our worst fears.

Kaitlyn did not handle the treatment very well, her liver was failing, so they needed to reduce her chemo, she was not eating, hence the need of a nose tube. She lost her hair, but oh did she look gorgeous, the hair was not a issue for us, it was her health we wanted. She was and still is a little trouper, and in that sense i am thankful that her child hood bliss, does mask some of the terrors that us as parents remember.

She is currently 4 years off treatment, but with continuous monitering, we are currently trying to sort out a severe back pain, that is coming and going. Again the fear sets in and the only way that we manage to cope is through prayer.'

www.caringbridge.org/oceania/curlykaitlyn

Thankyou and i will put you on a link on her website too..

We wish you all the very best with your big ride.
Love Yvette and Mark Hidding (and family)

***We will all be celebrating this Sunday for Kaitlyns Birthday. The support team, which includes me, will be celebrating Kaitlyn's birthday with cake. The riders will do it by completing another 100km training ride. Everyone can leave a birthday message on www.caringbridge.org/oceania/curlykaitlyn ******