Audrey and her family reconnect on a Family Retreat

Seven-year-old Audrey had just started kindergarten in 2023 when she was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma. Her mum Camilla noticed a big lump growing on the back of her head.

“Within 10 days this lump went from a little golf ball sort of size to half the size of an avocado,” said mum, Camilla.

When they went to the hospital, Audrey was sent to have an MRI scan. The scan was only halfway through when an oncologist came running down the hall to tell them that they suspected it was something bad. Over the next ten days, Audrey had daily hospital visits for investigations and procedures that confirmed the cancer diagnosis.

Audrey was immediately admitted to hospital to have a central line put in and start chemotherapy treatment. Using her experience as a nurse, Camilla brought a central line kit home to show Audrey and her older sister Astrid what the procedure would be like.

One of the hardest times was in the early part of Audrey’s treatment when she lost her hair. Camilla says that in the first few weeks of Audrey’s treatment, the family had been talking about how her hair would “go on a holiday”, but they were not prepared for how visible it would be to everyone that Audrey was sick.

“The weekend when Audrey lost her hair, her hair left in 48 hours. She actually looked like a cancer kid. So now suddenly, the facial expression on strangers or friends, it was really, really clear. Now you have to deal with other people’s feelings as well. At that stage, you’re not available to help others.”

While Audrey was in hospital, Camilla had seen the Camp Quality posters on the wall and registered the family. A few months later, when Audrey was well enough, they started going to a few of the Family Fun Day events. Of all the Camp Quality opportunities that the family has participated in, their favourite was the Family Retreat to Murramarang Beach, south of Sydney.

“We had been confined to our house and Westmead Hospital for nearly a year. We were all exhausted. We just needed something different, and those four days just changed the whole thing.”

Audrey had been quite unwell in the lead-up to the Family Retreat, but the day before they left, she was finally able to have her central line removed. For over a year, Camilla had needed to help her shower to ensure that the central line, inserted into her chest, did not get wet. On the Family Retreat Audrey was able to swim in the ocean for the first time in a year and a half.

“Audrey got to be a free kid again. It was freezing cold, and she forced her dad to go swimming because no one could stop her. Because she got into the ocean and just started to swim. She squealed and she jumped, and it was the best moment in my entire life. I have never seen anything like it. It was the best.”

Audrey is still in active treatment until August 2025 and needs to have daily medication and weekly blood tests to monitor her progress. She is back at school and doing really well and has also started horse riding.

The family has just adopted a puppy, something they discussed often during Audrey’s treatment. Both Audrey and Astrid were very excited.