Dear family and friends,

Please help raise funds to give me the gift of my lifetime - a beautiful glass photographic portrait of myself by world-renowned portrait and fashion photographer Robbie Merritt - and support the work of an incredible local charity - Cancer Support WA.

Please show your support by sponsoring my portrait.

Thank you,

Katie Sparks

Katie’s story…………..

How was I to know what started off as a cold would turn into my worst nightmare?

It was April 2011; Katie was having her 12^th birthday sleepover party.  She was feeling run down, struggling with a bad cold and a persistent cough.  While Katie’s friends were partying she was sleeping.  I thought it was just another cold, little did I know our life was about to change forever.  Katie’s cold went away, but her cough lingered on.  She had night sweats and always wanted the fan on at night. She started to lose weight, I thought she was just having a growth spurt and growing upwards.

At the beginning of May, 2011 Katie was short of breath during netball training.  After various Doctor Appointments and antibiotics, I decided to take Katie to the afterhours surgery in Ellenbrook.  I was told that Katie most likely has asthma; Katie got prescribed with a stronger antibiotic.  Sadly, those were not the answer.  I became extremely frustrated with the persistent cough which just wouldn’t go away, so I took Katie back to our regular GP.  On the 6^th May 2011, a blood test and chest x-ray was taken.  I was informed that Katie had pneumonia and was advised to take her straight to Swan Districts Hospital.  Upon arrival, they examined Katie locating a lump in her neck.  Swan Districts hospital urged me to take her to Princess Margaret Hospital, for it was a more serious matter.  It was that moment I knew there was something terribly wrong.

Katie was admitted to PMH on 9^th May, 2011 with an 8 week history of a persistent cough, worse at night.  She underwent numerous tests.  Her lung was full of fluid and partially collapsed.  I will never forget the day the Doctor called me into a room (the day after mother’s day) with the devastating news that my child has cancer.  It was by far the worst day of my life and a lot of information to comprehend. My first thoughts were, “kids don’t get cancer”, how could this happen? I got told that Katie’s life was about to become a rollercoaster and it can be quite confronting going into the children’s cancer ward and to be prepared for a long and hard road ahead.  At this stage we didn’t know what type of cancer it was.  A biopsy was done on her neck, a pet scan and other testing.  After a few days, which seemed like forever, Katie was diagnosed with “Hodgkins Lymphoma” stage 2b.  She also had a nodule in her right lung.  Her tumour took up three quarters of her chest and was pushing on her lungs and heart. 

To start off with Katie had a catheter put in to drain the fluid from her lung every 3 to 4 hours.  Chemotherapy commenced on 13^th May, 2011.  Katie completed chemotherapy on 22^nd September, 2011 and also had radiotherapy every day over a 3 week period afterwards.  Katie was amazing through her treatment, especially from the time her Oncologist told her she had cancer and said the magic words, “I am going to try to make you better”.  Katie kept these words close to her heart and that was all she needed to hear to help her through and keep a positive mindset.  Whenever Katie’s friends visited her in hospital, Katie could see they were upset and would say to them, “Everything is going to be okay, the Doctor said she is going to make me better”.  It was Katie cheering her friends up, not the other way around.  Her outlook was so positive.  She was an inspiration to us all.  Katie handled her treatment very well.  The hardest part for Katie was losing her hair; I think we all shed a tear that night.

Katie has suffered numerous side effects from the chemotherapy drugs and Radiotherapy, such as problems with her lungs, wrist, heart and feet.  She has missed lots of school and has experienced difficulties with muscle weakness and fine motor issues with her hands.  Over the past 18 months Katie has had lots of physiotherapy.  I cannot speak highly enough about her current physiotherapist, Kieran Richardson from Club Physiotherapy and Pilates in Ellenbrook. He has done lots of intense therapy on Katie’s wrist, been very supportive and never once given up on Katie.  She is continuing to do well with therapy.   It has certainly been challenging dealing with the side effects and has taken quite a while for her immune system to build up.  Katie has never once complained over any of her treatment and has a very high pain tolerance.

I am so grateful for the support I have received from my other 2 daughters and my parents over the past 2 years; they have been with me every step of the way.  I would arrive at the hospital to be with Katie when she woke up from 7.30am and then leave once she was asleep until around 9.30pm every day, some days were a struggle.   Katie wanted her family with her in hospital as much as possible.  With her Dad having to work away from home, he didn’t get to see her as much as she would have liked.  My parents would step in and visit Katie early in the morning, to give me a break and to see how their precious granddaughter was coping of course.  Both of Katie’s sisters would also spend nights with her in hospital so she didn’t feel alone.

I am very proud to say that Katie has been in remission since December 2011.  She is at risk of relapse for 5 years and has check-ups every 3 months.  We take each day as it comes and continuing to encourage Katie to build her confidence back up and to feel good about herself, we make the most of each and every day.  I will not give up on Katie and with the support of family and friends we will help her achieve her goals and dreams because she is beautiful, just like all the other “you are beautiful” participants.

If something doesn’t feel right, keep harassing your GP until you get answers.  If I wasn’t persistent with visiting Doctors, I might have been telling a whole different story today.  I am sharing Katie’s story so people are aware.  You only have one home (your body) and you live in it, life is precious.

All I ask is, “please support Katie”, and help her reach her target, at the same time you are supporting those affected by cancer.  Cancer affects us all and you are making a difference in the life of a cancer sufferer.

We are all so very proud of you Katie.  Stay strong xxx

Thank you,

Katie and Cindy