Tilly Spaeth’s parents mission to raise awareness for RCH
Doctors believed Tilly just had a childcare bug when an emergency ward visit revealed what was really wrong.
Geelong
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An Armstrong Creek woman’s motherly instinct to go against a doctor’s diagnosis saved her toddler’s life.
Nicole Lamont and Luke Spaeth’s daughter Tilly, 2, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia last July.
The couple now want to raise awareness of the good work of staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Ms Lamont said she rushed Tilly to Geelong hospital’s emergency ward in July 2022 despite doctors putting down her constant sickness to childcare bugs months prior.
“She was just so lethargic, and her colour was so grey,” she said.
“It was all these things adding up, I guess as a mum you know your child best, and you know what they’re like on their good days, and it just wasn’t adding up.”
Emergency staff saw Tilly’s colour and rushed her through for blood tests.
Mr Spaeth said the results showed extremely low levels of haemoglobin and white blood cells, which accounted for her tiredness and low immunity.
He said doctors also believed the girl may have leukaemia.
Further tests the following morning confirmed the worst.
“It hit me straight away,” Mr Spaeth said.
Tilly was rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) and her parents dropped their lives to take care of her.
The next five months Tilly had constant rounds of intense treatment while her parents lived between the Ronald McDonald house and an apartment in Brunswick – unable to be more than 30 minutes away from the hospital.
Tilly is now in remission.
While the family has been able to regain some normality, Ms Lamont said their lives remain “stressful”.
“I wouldn’t say our life is normal,” she said.
“I’m still travelling to RCH every Thursday to get dressing changes.
“You’d think dressing changes would be simple, but they’re holding down a child to get her Hickman Line and nasal tube changed over, it’s just screaming for 15 minutes.
“For a parent to have to hold down their child every week, it’s pretty traumatic.”
The couple will take part in the Run For Kids charity event in Melbourne on March 17 to raise money for the RCH.
“It’s no one’s fault, but you’re ignorant to the work they do until you’re in it,” Ms Lamont said.
“Being a parent, and just seeing what they do, I just wanted to give back in any way shape or form I can.”
The Geelong Advertiser revealed earlier this month that the Good Friday Appeal will expand to Victoria’s regional hospitals this year.
“It’s no secret the RHC is the peak of funding, because it’s so important, but there is a gap for regional hospitals,” Ms Lamont said.
To donate visit https://runforthekids.gofundraise.com.au/page/TEAMTILLY-77271043
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