The incredible story of Darwin baby Fíadh Hoolan-Derich battling leukaemia

A naturally ‘smiley’ girl, four month-old baby Fíadh Hoolan-Derich is battling leukaemia with her brave parents by her bedside. Read Fíadh’s story and how you can help.

Nathan and Sara with their baby girl, Fíadh. Picture: Supplied.

Darwin-born baby Fíadh will spend at least six months in a Melbourne hospital undergoing chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with leukaemia, with her parents picking up their lives and moving to be by her bedside.

In June, Sara Hoolan and Nathan Derich had been enjoying their beautiful baby and, like other new parents, learning to navigate the newborn era.

The couple had put Fíadh’s pale skin down to her “Irish side”, while her inability to stack on weight had not raised too much concern.

However, after months of trying to address Fíadh’s weight issues, a doctor referred the baby girl for a blood test, in case of any underlying medical issues.

Within hours, the family’s life was turned upside down.

“The doctor called us that evening and told us to go straight to the emergency department,” Ms Hoolan told the NT News.

“They told us it was leukaemia.”

Fíadh was flown to Melbourne to start her leukaemia treatment.

CareFlight organised to have Ms Hoolan and her daughter on a plane flight for Melbourne where Fíadh would need to be treated.

Adding to the family’s pain, Ms Hoolan’s parents and sister were supposed to meet Fíadh for the first time on the same day they were due to fly to Melbourne.

“My family landed in Darwin, left their bags at the airport and were taken straight to our plane so they could hold my little girl for five minutes,” Ms Hoolan said.

“Then we said goodbye and off we went.”

Mr Derich drove thousands kilometres by car to Darwin, where Fíadh was already being treated.

Almost a month into their Melbourne stay, there has not been a single hour where either mum or dad was not by their little girl’s bedside.

“We try to go out for walks every now and then, but it’s just hard,” Ms Hoolan said.

“She’s so small and you don’t want to leave her – you don’t know if she’s going to be left by herself wide awake.”

Sara and Nathan have been by their daughter’s bedside every day since they arrived in Melbourne.

Unable to work or have visitors drop by, good friends Gem and Breda started a GoFundMe page for the couple with a view to financially support the family.

Since appealing for donations, the page is just a couple of hundred dollars shy of its $15,000 target.

Ms Hoolan said she felt “overwhelmed” by the support.

“We never expected this much support,” she said.

“There’s people making contact with me that I haven’t seen or spoken to in 20 years – people from Ireland.

“Having to uproot our lives and move, everybody’s been really amazing and it’s not what we expected at all.”

With one round of chemotherapy done and another four to complete, the earliest that Fíadh and her parents could return to the Top End is in the New Year.

“Her first Christmas will be here, in hospital.”

A natural, “smiley girl” by nature, Ms Hoolan said her daughter’s traits come-and-go with the treatment she’s undergoing.

“She has up to five pumps of drugs going into her nearly all the time, but she’s still managing to smile,” she said.

“Sometimes that’s even harder to watch, seeing her smile, because of what’s she’s going through.”

Sara says she wants to see her daughter enjoy a “normal” experience.

Ms Hoolan said she hoped to see Fíadh enjoy a “normal” experience, without the cloud of treatment hanging over their heads.

“She went to a playgroup last week and she was singing along to music,” she said.

“That made us upset, seeing her play with all these wires hanging out of her.”

Determined to be strong for daughter, Ms Hoolan had a message for other mothers and fathers whose children were unwell.

“There is so much support, you’re not alone,” she said.

“You just have to ask for it.”

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Originally published as The incredible story of Darwin baby Fíadh Hoolan-Derich battling leukaemia