This year, we acknowledge and celebrate 20 years of our relationship with the Kids with Cancer Foundation. Over the past two decades, Kids with Cancer Foundation has worked closely with our doctors and nurses to help provide over $4 million in support to patients and their families as they navigate one of life’s biggest challenges. Below is the story of little Alaina and her family – who have kindly shared their message of gratitude to the team at Kids with Cancer Foundation.
Pooja and Pramod moved to Australia from Sri Lanka to start a family and provide their future children with all the opportunities every parent wants for their child.
Unfortunately, they were faced with challenges that no parent should have to face.
Alaina was barely 3 years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in December 2023. Pooja, was heavily pregnant with her son at the time of this devastating diagnosis.
Alaina was an inpatient at the Monash Children’s Cancer Centre when her baby brother was born in February 2024, receiving her first round of intensive therapy to treat her cancer.
Pramod was working long shifts to support his young family and commuting from work straight to the hospital to be with his wife, newborn son and daughter as she underwent treatment at Monash.
“Pramod would often sleep on the day bed next to Alaina to catch up on rest, it was incredibly tiring,” said Pooja.
Beyond the logistical difficulties, Pramod and Pooja were facing multiple unforeseen financial challenges, as Pooja was no longer able to return to work as she had originally planned due to Alaina’s illness.
This is where the Kids with Cancer Foundation stepped in to help ease some of the worries resting on Promod and Pooja’s shoulders as they faced every parent’s worst nightmare.
“As we were relatively new to Australia, we were unable to access any financial supports that permanent residents and citizens may be eligible for,” explains Pooja.
“Kids with Cancer Foundation were able to help ease those pressures and assisted with groceries and bills – the relief and gratitude we felt when they told us they could help was indescribable.”
This stress and emotional turmoil ultimately meant Pooja was unable to breastfeed her son, adding yet another unexpected cost to the family grocery budget.
“Formula is so expensive, but I had no choice as my milk production was so low, likely due to stress. Kids With Cancer Foundation provided vouchers that made it possible to keep my baby fed – I simply cannot thank them enough,” Pooja says.
Pooja and Pramod also extend their gratitude to the Monash Children’s Cancer Centre, who assisted them in applying to have Pooja’s parents obtain a Visa to enter Australia to help care for their son while Alaina was in hospital having treatment.
“The support of organisations such as Kids with Cancer Foundation make the most difficult scenarios just that little bit easier for families like us – we are grateful every day for their support, and the support we receive from the staff at Monash Children’s.” says Pooja.
A message from MCCC:
On behalf of the Monash Children’s Cancer Centre and every single family who comes through its doors, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Kids with Cancer Foundation. The support KWCF provides makes such an enormous, often unseen difference in the lives of families who are navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis. We are excited to celebrate this partnership milestone with you, and look forward to many more wonderful years of support.
Alaina celebrating her birthday with her baby brother
