Mount Evelyn
Tuesday, 23 May, 2023
Hospital kiosk closes after 45 years
Volunteer at Mercy Place recognised
Lilydale Probus Club celebrates 40 years
New art exhibition combines visuals with sound
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A Star News Group Publication
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Eight-year-old Mount Evelyn Primary School student Lucy McAleer died on 12 March 2022 after being diagnosed with a devastating form of brain cancer in July 2021. Picture: SUPPLIED
Lucy’s parents Brian (left) and Nicole (right) are calling for more government funding into DIPG research.
Lucy’s sad legacy A Lilydale family is calling for more awareness of paediatric cancers during Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Nicole and Brian McAleer’s eldest daughter Lucy passed away on Saturday 12 March 2022 at eight years old, after a diagnosis of a devastating form of brain cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), in July 2021. Lucy was a student at Mount Evelyn Primary School and loved Harry Potter, green sea turtles and basketball. After being hit in the head at by a ball at basketball training one Monday night, Lucy appeared to be concussed and started fall-
ing over. Showing signs of fatigue, dizziness and slurred speech, an MRI soon confirmed a lump had formed. Nicole said the past year has been “incredibly difficult” without their daughter. “We have experienced all the firsts, had to navigate life without Lucy while still being parents to our other two girls Olivia (eight) and Amelia (just turned four). As children they deal with grief and their own understanding very different to us as adults so that has also been a challenge,” Nicole said. “There have been huge amounts of support from family, friends, school community and the local community which has been in-
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credible. From fundraising events including a car cruise, basketball game and Irish dancing events plus more, it has been overwhelming and heartwarming knowing how many people are out there wanting to help.” Nicole said over the past year, there have sadly been more children diagnosed and pass away from the “cruel disease” which affects 20 Australian children and their families each year. Most children will die from the disease within 12 months of diagnosis. “When you look at statistics for funding (from the government) for cancer as a whole, very little is given to paediatric cancer and even less into brain cancer with even less again into
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By Tyler Wright
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DIPG. DIPG has had the same outcome as it did more than 50 years ago,” Nicole said. “The same palliative care treatment being radiation which at best, buys a patient an extra 3-4 months of quality time before progressing and them going downhill usually very quickly. This needs to change. “Since 2015, the government has invested less than $1 million into DIPG. It is completely unacceptable. ‘‘Leukemia has gone from a 10 per cent survival rate to a 90 per cent survival rate which is phenomenal. But brain cancers survival rate is sadly no different to over 30 years ago. Continued page 3