| By Anthony Radford
Funds needed for cancer effected family
TO say life has been challenging for Bendigo couple Carolyn O’Sullivan and Michael Philp and their family is an understatement.
Their daughter, 12-year-old Holly, is severely autistic and requires intensive around-the-clock care.
Early last year, Carolyn and Michael’s second child, Connor, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia.
The six year old and his parents have spent most of the past year at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne, while Carolyn’s parents look after Holly.
When Connor was diagnosed, Carolyn gave up working as a nurse and Michael has worked as best he can around hospital admissions and setbacks. He has now taken leave from his work without pay.
In November last year, Connor suffered a relapse and the chemotherapy was not working.
Connor is now undergoing intense treatment in the hope he becomes a suitable candidate for life-saving stem cell transplant treatment.
The new intensive chemotherapy treatment has made Connor too sick to leave the hospital and he spent Christmas at the RCH.
Their extended family is doing the best it can for their loved ones, but it is reaching crisis point.
Financially they have battled all year just to pay the basics. The cost of living away from home, despite charity services, has been enormous.
Michael and Carolyn now face the prospect of losing their home. Even if they save it, it will be unsuitable for Connor when he returns home because of his illness.
It is old and difficult to clean, and despite all their efforts, it remains infested with vermin.
Even if they do manage to sell their house, the family will not make enough money from the sale to repay their debts, let alone buy another one.
Their family will be helping them to find a suitable rental and sell their house as quickly as they can.
Carolyn and Michael also do not have a suitable car and have been borrowing one for the past year.
Family member Kath O’Sullivan is appealing to the community, through the Bendigo Weekly, to help the family out any way it can.
“Their debts are mounting. I would at least like to help
relieve them of one problem, their financial situation,” she said. “Connor’s illness has devastated our entire family and network of friends.
“Any assistance from the community would be so greatly appreciated.”
The family is looking for donations, financial or otherwise. Over the coming weeks, the Weekly will keep readers up to date with how they can help, including publishing a bank account number.
Can you help?
Contact the Weekly on 5442-5448, at PO Box 324, Bendigo, 3552, or email anthony@bendigoweekly.com.au.
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