If you have a child you can relate if you are FIFO you can relate some more so let me tell you about six year old Bayley and his family.
On Easter Monday 2014 their lives took a dramatic turn their 6 yr old son Bayley was diagnosed with suspected Leukaemia. This meant that they had to get to Brisbane ASAP to get an official diagnosis and start treatment. This was a bit of a logistical nightmare as they live on the Atherton Tablelands in regional FNQ, however after several ambulance rides, an RFDS ride and 23 hrs in emergency departments they arrived to the Oncology ward at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
On Tuesday the 22nd April their worst fears were confirmed and Bayley was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). They were informed that they would be in Brisbane at least 6 months for intensive treatment followed by a further 3 years of maintenance treatment that could be done at home with frequent visits to Brisbane.
Bayley is one of three boys and has twin brothers who are four years old. And so the difficult decision was made that they would stay at home in FNQ while Bayley is receiving treatment in Brisbane all the while splitting the family at either end of the state. As well this; their father continues work as a FIFO worker in Papua New Guinea. Jamie works a 16/12 roster as a Fixed Plant Maintenance Coordinator on a joint venture with Newcrest & Harmony Gold on the Hidden Valley Project and so Jamie’s mother in-law is doing a type of FIFO 19/11 traveling from North West New South Wales to Brisbane (driving), then fly’s to Cairns to care for the twin boys on the Atherton Tablelands while Jamie is at work in PNG.
Jamie and his family are in the very position that I fear as do many of us because as a FIFO family he must work and he must work outside of the home. Like many of us to take extended leave means he may lose his position and then what of his family. Relocation to Brisbane is not an option and nor would it be for I as keeping the normality for his twins is also paramount and so what does one do? You do your best and so every 16 days Jamie travels to Brisbane to spend four days with Bayley and his beloved wife Teresa and then back home to the twins who initially hadn’t seen their brother for nine weeks. It has since been decided that there will now be monthly visit however these are not government funded and so if you would like to make a donation towards the reuniting of a family please consider making a donation.
A trust account has been sent up for Bayley courtesy of the Malanda Lions Club.
Donations are greatly appreciated and will be used so the family can be reunited on a more regular basis whilst Bayley receives treatment.
Bank Account details for donations
Acc Name: Lions Club Malanda
BSB: 633 000
Acc No: 152 068 383
Details: Bayley McKinnon
A Face book page has been set up for Team Bayley here.
Please email me at debbie@thefifowife.com.au if you are able to make a donation so I am able to send a personal thank you.
x Deb
